Page 93 of Runaway Bride's Guide to Love

“My apologies. I forgot you only like being touched by women with floggers.”

Oh shit! One point for Cap!

“I don’t know who you think you are,” Duncan says, trying to get back the upper hand. “But you need to leave my house. Or I’ll call the police.”

“Go for it,” Emmett says as he takes a step toward him. Emmett already has a good six inches on Duncan in height. But somehow he gets taller the closer he gets to him. Or maybe it’s because Duncan is shrinking into himself, trying, but failing, to not look scared as hell.

I mean, I don’t blame him. Emmett’s breathing is heavy, and his face is turning red. His fists are clenched at his sides. I have afeeling if Duncan says one more thing out of line, Emmett is going to swing first and ask questions later.

And I’ve never been more turned on in my entire life.

“Listen here,” Emmett continues. “She has made it clear on multiple occasions that she wants nothing to do with you. She is here today to get her things out of your grown man frat house. Beer signs? Really?”

“They're collector's items.”

Both Emmett and I can only snort out a tired laugh. “If you say so. Keep your collector’s items. I’ll keep her. How about that?”

I’m caught off guard and don’t realize until a few seconds later what Emmett just said.

Keep me? He wants to keep me?

Oh, we have so much to talk about…

“You? Ha! Hilarious,” Duncan says with a sudden flash of confidence. “Who are you, anyway? Simon's lackey? The hired muscle?”

“Who am I?” Emmett asks rhetorically, taking another step closer to Duncan, which makes him physically retreat. Before he knows it, his back is hitting the wall. “I’m the man who’s going to listen to her. The man who’s not going to tell her what food to eat. I’m the one who’s going to make her dreams come true. Oh, and I’m hers. In every sense of the word. And do you know what that means? That means she’s mine. And if you ever, and I meanever, touch what’s mine again, I’ll kill you. And that’s not a threat. That’s a fucking promise.”

I’m his?

He’s mine?

What is happening?

And why am I so turned on?

“Stella?” Emmett asks as he looks back to me. “Can you have your things packed in an hour?”

I nod, unable to say anything else.

“Okay, then here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna pack.I'm gonna call a moving company that owes me a favor. While you pack, I’m going to sit out here with my new buddy Duncan. Maybe clarify any points he didn’t understand. Make sure he doesn't bother you. And then we're gonna leave. And the next time you see him, it’s going to be in a courtroom when he has to pay you back every fucking cent he stole from you. Sound like a plan?”

Emmett tosses me a playful wink. How is he now playful when five seconds ago he was threatening murder?

I don’t know how, but I like it.

I like it a lot.

guide to love rule #64

There’s no timeline for finding your person.

You might even meet them

on your wedding day.

27

stella

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