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Out in the parking lot, Emmett fires up his car. It rumbles low and deliciously deep, drawing me away from my Dodge Challenger.

He rolls down the tinted windowpane, a big grin on his face.

"You forgot about me." I raise my voice over the loud engine and watch the rest of the guys take off, watch Emmett's face fall, panic on his handsome face. I snicker.

"Fuck, sorry! I was really eager to be in my car again." He turns his key and it's silent around us again.

"Come sit," Emmett says. He opens the passenger door of the truck and I hop in, the fabric of my jeans pulling at my thighs when I make the big step.

His car smells like leather, clean, and that new car smell I'm crazy about.

"Tell me what's weighing you down, Spice." He rests his head against the leather seat and turns to look at me.

I take a deep breath before I spill the beans. My chat with Jake earlier only made my expectations worse.

"It's Irina." I sigh.

"She been giving you shit?" He asks. His tone is serious and I've never heard it like that before. Emmett seems angry and worked up all of a sudden. Working with a bunch of guys makes me feel like I have brothers now. A pack of protectors. I want to do the same for them.

"I think she's fucking someone else." It's out before I know it and the words leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I bite the side of my fingernail anxiously, staring out the window as I hear Emmett mutter a string of profanities.

"What?" It's like he's outraged, surprised all at the same time. His entire body turns my way, a scowl on his face.

"She walked out on me, announcing she's staying at a friend's house after giving me a lecture that's too fucking stupid to even quote." I roll my eyes and I won't repeat her words. I don't want to even think about it. Not here, not now.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me. She's fucking ridiculous."

I don't say anything and stretch my legs.

"Are you sure?" He asks me and I shrug.

"I don't know, Emmett. Jake's been through this before and I went to him for advice. But that only makes me doubt her more and more," I confess.

"She home now?"

"I don't know," I shrug. "She called me this morning but I didn't pick up. My phone's been off since."

"Okay, let's go." He turns his keys again, the Panda coming back to life.

"What're you doing?" My eyes go wide. I'm not used to being bossed around by a guy, or in general.

"We're doing a fucking stakeout, then you're staying at my place."

"What?! Why?"

"Because I'm not letting a fucking whore letting you feel bad about yourself all night." He's calling Irina a whore and I don't even care.

"I can't stay at your place," I say, panicking. "I don't have any clothes." That, along with the fact that I haven't stayed at a guy's place since Royce. I'm fucking terrified of getting a panic attack and having Emmett see me like that. I expect one right now in fact, but it doesn't come. I feel calm, safe and I know it's because of him. That too terrifies me. I want to crawl up to Emmett's side and never leave, feel his warmth and calm overcome me.

"I sure as hell don't walk around naked all day which means I have clothes, and I'm sure your jeans won't be covered in dirt overnight." He starts the car and drives off. "You could wear them again tomorrow, borrow a shirt to sleep in. I don't care, Spice." I can tell we're heading for my apartment. His music is loud and aggressive, something about falling down nine times and getting up ten. It's heart-shatteringly appropriate for the way I'm feeling right now.

"Turn on your phone. Maybe she texted you." Emmett says, making a left and then a right, cruising through the city.

I do as he says. Once my phone's back online, I see I have three missed calls. One from Irina, two from her work phone.

Three missed calls and one text.

I need to talk to you. Meet me at home after work.

"She'll be home," I state. Emmet nods and keeps driving until my building comes into view. My stomach feels upset and I clear my throat. What am I supposed to do now?

Emmett pulls over, his headlights shining brightly against the yellow car in front of us. Irina's silver Mercedes is parked in her usual spot and the lights are on in the living room.

"What's the point of this stakeout?" I want to know, tugging at the elastic in my hair until it slips from my hair. I rub the back of my head, my fingers smoothing out the bump my ponytail made. My temples are throbbing. I'm so fucking nervous.

"Text her you're not coming," Emmett orders. I stare at him and the shadows covering his face, not moving. I can't do it, my fingers hover over the keypad.

"Gimme that." Emmett takes my phone and speeds through my messages until he sees the 'I' with a purple heart.

My heart speeds up, I feel dizzy.

"No, don't," I plead. "I want to see her."

"You do?"

I bite my lip. I'm not sure...

"I— I don't know." I sink back in my seat. My emotions are all over the place and I don't know what the hell I have to do, what I should do.

"What did you want to talk to me about? Earlier at work."

I cave, his eyes charming me. I feel foolish and cover my face.

"I wanted to ask you if I could stay with you tonight," I admit.

"Because you didn't want to go home, right?" Emmett reads me like an open book. It kills me.

I nod.

He shows me the text before he hits send. I let him.

Irina's reply comes immediately as if she's been waiting with her phone in hand.

Fine. Be stubborn. I'll pack my things.

My heart sinks and feels heavy at her words. I know Irina's a very guarded, decisive person and once she makes up her mind she won't budge. This is it. She's done with me, throwing me out like trash.

"Now we wait and follow her."

"You've done this before." It wasn't a question. He clearly has.

"True. My last girlfriend before I joined the military. I came back from a mission three days early. She wasn't home so I asked the neighbors if they'd seen her. The woman from across the street told me she wasn't home often, only on Sundays." He takes a deep breath.

"I slept in a motel that night because I knew something was up and waited at the end of the street that Sunday morning, wore a black hoodie and sweats so she wouldn't recognize me. I watched her get out of a car with some dude from work." Emmett takes a deep breath before he continues. "When they left, I got in my car and followed them, winding up at his front door. She opened it wearing an apron like she fucking owned the place. Her face went ghostly pale when she saw me. It had been going on for months. She said she couldn't wait for me. That she wanted to but it just happened. That she was happier with Riley."

My heart broke at his troubled expression. I reached out a hand and put it over his, an electric current running all through my arm straight to my heart.

"I'm so sorry she did that to you." I can't believe someone would let a guy like Emmett get away, choose to hurt him.

"It's only been about three months since I got back. I just started over, again. I was out for a year, hence why I need the refreshment course in advanced mechanics."

"Can't believe how fucked up that is. I'm sorry I made you relive that."

"Don't be, Spice. Lessons learned and all."

I smile weakly at him and brace myself when Irina leaves the building. She's carrying a suitcase and walks fast. Her car unlocks and someone drives up to her. It's a blue, beat-up Volkswagen that has seen better days. Irina walks up to the driver's side and leans in.

"Oh my God," I gasp as I clearly see her kiss this person.

Natascha. It has to be.

"Get me the fuck out of here." I start crying as Emmett drives off, speeding until we're somewhere I don't recognize.

Grab your pitchforks. Let's go after Irina, shall we?