Page 84 of (Un)Spoken

“Hate it? This is…” She shook her head and then launched herself into my arms. “This is everything I could have ever wanted and more. I can’t believe you did this for us.”

“You wanted a home, Tori,” I said as I held her. “And this is one we can make together. And I know it’s soon, and maybe it’s too fast, but if life has taught me anything, when you find something this good, you hold onto it.” I took the keys and placed them in her hands. “So, say you’ll live here with me, baby. Because this house isn’t a home unless Emilia and you are in it.”

“Of course,” she said, nuzzling into my embrace. She reached out and pulled Emilia into our hug, her tiny arms circling our knees. When we finally separated, she tugged the hem of my shirt.

“Can we finally cross the thing off the list?”

“This again?” Victoria asked.

I looked down at Em and pulled my wallet from my pocket. Fishing out the scrap of paper, I passed it to her. She grinned at me as she looked it over, recognizing the wish we’d written months ago. I kneeled and whispered to her, “I don’t know, kiddo. I think you need to ask your mom if it’s okay to cross it off.”

Emilia smiled as she shifted to her mother, handing it over. Victoria’s brow furrowed, and she looked over at me. I stood, chuckling as I pulled her hand into mine. “I know we never got around to writing out that list of yours, but this was one Emilia and I felt very strongly about.”

“Find a prince and fall in love,” Victoria read. She smiled down at Emilia and ran her thumb over her cheek. “That was very sweet of you, baby.”

“Adam helped me,” she giggled, looping her arms around Victoria’s legs. “He also said we could paint all the walls and have the biggest garden. Ever.”

Victoria held Emilia close, then looked up to meet my eyes. She mouthedthank you, then turned her attention back to Emilia.

“Are you gonna cross it off, Mommy?” She beamed up at us. “Are we staying here with Adam?”

Victoria nodded, chuckling as I passed her a pen. “Yeah, baby, we’re home.”

Later that night,our entire group gathered at the Lost Tavern, celebrating the good stuff, as Victoria called it. She beamed the whole time, showing everyone pictures of the inside of the house. It needed a lot of work, having been empty for the past couple of years, but we were both excited to tackle it together. Cole had already mocked up a new floor plan on one of the napkins, showing Victoria all the options to reshape the dilapidated kitchen.

As the night wore on, Emilia’s eyes reluctantly closed, and I picked her up and held her in my arms. My whole heart almost burst as she snuggled against me and whispered, “Love you, Adam.”

“Love you too, kiddo,” I said back to her. Although Emilia wasn’t mine by blood, I swore an oath to myself that I’d never let her feel it, loving her every day as if she were my own. From the moment she placed her sparkly tiara on my head, I was doomed to fall for her and her beautiful mother.

Glancing across the room, I met Victoria’s eyes, loving that she was in the middle of the conversation. I didn’t knowif she realized it, but she’d been the missing piece—not only in my life but in all of ours. Alex and Calla loved her like a sister, and she and Devyn had become fast friends. Hell, even Gray came out of his shell more when she was around, which was often because his dog was obsessed with our little girl.

Cole nodded over to me. “I think it’s time we call it a night. Someone’s ready for bed.”

“He does look a bit tired,” Victoria teased as she joined us. She looked over at Devyn, tugging her arm as we all exited the bar. Gray hung back to lock up as we headed toward our separate cars. “When do you head back to New York?”

“Not for a couple of–”

But her words were cut off as a car raced toward us, pulling sideways into the parking lot to face us. The driver’s side door flew open, and a man stormed out, his blond locks erratic and anger rippling off him in waves. He stopped when he spotted Devyn. “You bitch.”

Theo stepped in front of Calla and her sister. “Jack, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Ask her,” he spat, motioning to Devyn. “Although you probably know, don’t you? This reeks of your bullshit, Theo,” Jack cursed, shaking his head. “I bet you think you’re really clever, milking me for information and then luring my clients to other firms?”

Devyn just looked at the beds of her nails with a bored disinterest. “Yes, I did think that was pretty clever of me.” She nodded to Theo. “See, I don’t have a pesky non-compete like he does, so there was no reason I couldn't talk to a few people about your unscrupulous behavior and persuade them to look for alternative representation.”

“A few people?” Jack screamed. “You poachedallof my clients.”

“Whoops.” Devyn shrugged her shoulder.

Jack rushed over to her, grabbing her arm and dragging her close. “Listen here, you little bitch–”

Theo took a step forward to defend Devyn, but he was too late. Jack was already falling backward, courtesy of Gray. None of us even noticed Gray approaching, not until his hands were shoving Jack to the ground. As Jack scrambled on the concrete, trying to stand, Gray’s imposing stature loomed over him, the promise of violence flickering in his eyes.

When Jack stepped back toward Devyn, Gray stopped him, growling in his face. “Don’t youeverfucking touch her.”

Jack snarled, not backing down despite the rage radiating off Gray. He shoved against the bigger man’s chest, and Gray pushed him back, Jack’s knees buckling at the force of it. He glared as he rubbed his chest “This is none of your business, Anders.”

“It is my fucking business if you put your hands on my wife.”

Everyone’s eyes darted to Devyn, daring her to contradict his words. But she just stood there, staring at Gray as all the color drained from her face. Jack took a step toward his car, pointing his finger in Devyn’s direction. “This isn’t the end, you stupid bitch.”

“Yes, it is,” Gray answered calmly, moving closer to block his view of Devyn. “Because if Ieversee you in my town or near my wife again, I will end you. That’s a promise.”

Probably sensing his imminent demise, Jack quickly walked back into his Mercedes, speeding off downthe road before anyone else could say anything. As his tail lights faded into the darkness, Gray turned to Devyn, reaching out to brush her arm where Jack had grabbed her. “You good, Ace?”

She nodded, not looking up to meet his gaze. The rest of us just stared, unwelcome witnesses to their brief exchange. But while we were content to watch silently and not interrupt the moment, Calla had no such qualms.

“I’m sorry, but did he just call you hiswife?”