Page 38 of Emmy's Ride

My breath caught.

He stalked toward me, backing me up until the edge of my desk pressed into my spine. “You want me?” His voice was rough, his eyes burning into mine. “Then take me.”

My resolve cracked and before I could think, his mouth was on mine.

The kiss wasn’t gentle. It was fire and desperation, a claiming. I clutched at his shoulders as he lifted me onto the desk, his hands gripping my thighs, spreading me open for him.

Austin was on his knees before I could catch my breath.

His mouth, his hands—every touch sent me spiraling, my head falling back against the desk as he unraveled me completely.

My breathing was ragged, my body still trembling in the aftermath of Austin’s touch. I tried to gather the pieces of myself, but it was impossible with the way he was looking at me like he owned me.

Because, damn it, he did.

And I was right back at the beginning of our problem. No matter how much I loved him, no matter how much he said I was his—Austin would always belong to the Kings.

I couldn’t survive loving a man who would always choose the club over me and who I couldn’t depend on to be there considering the dangerous life of a KOC. And there was my job. His position as Prez would conflict horribly with what I’d worked so hard to achieve. Tears gathered in my eyes at the hopelessness in my heart.

Austin looked up, his expression stunned at finding tears tracking down my cheeks. “Emmy?”

I shook my head. “I can’t be what you need,” I whispered.

The words felt like knives as they left my lips, but I knew they were true.

Austin stood and brushed his knuckles along my cheek, wiping away the evidence of my pain. “You are exactly what I need, Em, and I’m gonna prove that I’m what you need too.”

A sharp pang hit my chest, somewhere between longing and fear. “Austin?—”

“No,” he cut me off, his grip tightening on my thighs. “I know what you’re about to say, and I’m telling you it’s bullshit.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t be with someone who operates on the wrong side of the law. Do you have any idea what that would do to me? To my job? My entire career is based on helping troubled kids.”

“And what do you think I want, Emmy?” he interrupted. “You think I just wanna push weight, run protection, and break skulls for the rest of my life?”

I blinked, thrown by the edge in his tone. “Don’t you?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “No. I don’t. But I also don’t get the luxury of just walking away from the only family I’ve ever had.”

I shook my head, trying to push back the emotions threatening to choke me. “That’s the difference between us, Austin. I built something for myself. Something that makes a difference. I can’t lose that.”

His fingers flexed on my legs before he let out a slow breath. Then he met my gaze, eyes locked on mine. “So that’s it, then? You walk away because of what I am? Or because of what you think I am?”

A war was waging inside me. “I walk away because I have to.”

His hands slid from my thighs as he straightened. “You love me.”

I didn’t deny it. Couldn’t. Because he was right.

“I do,” I whispered. “But sometimes love isn’t enough.”

“Then I’ll change the rules.”

I froze, my breath stalling. “What?”

“You heard me. I don’t have all the answers right now, but if the only thing keeping you from being with me is this life, then maybe it’s time I start figuring out how to make it something you can be a part of.”

I stared at him, my pulse roaring in my ears. Was he serious?

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