“You’re saying I’m her stressor? I’m her sister.”
“Yes, we’re all very aware of that, Emmy,” Doctor Matthews says. “But she needs to recuperate, and that isn’t going to happen overnight.”
I don’t want to cry. Not here with the doctor and not with Ace. I want to be strong. Be capable.
I also sort of just want to curl up in a ball and sleep for like fourteen days straight.
“The timing is perfect anyways, Doctor Matthews,” Ace says. “I have a getaway planned for Emmy, and I think it’s going to be perfect for her.”
“Get-a-what?” I ask, not knowing Ace’s plans. I’m not going anywhere.
“Great,” Doctor Matthew says. “Then under doctor’s orders, Emmy, I need you to take the next few days off. Come back rested. And we’ll call you if there’s any news.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” I say, raising a brow at him.
“I actually can. This is my floor. These are my patients. I don’t want to ban you, so you need to take time off on your own.”
Doctor Matthews walks away and I feel like kicking him. Kicking something.
I kick Ace’s shin instead, and he immediately reaches down to grab it in pain.
“What the fuck, Emmy Rose?” he asks, rubbing the place I kicked.
I know I couldn’t have hurt him that badly. I’m in ballet flats, for Christ’s sake.
“You’re supposed to have my back with doctors. With everything,” I tell him flippantly. “You know, if you love me?”
Ace smirks. “I thought you broke up with me.”
“I never knew we were together.”
“Well, we are.” And then Ace pulls me in for a kiss. I purse my lips together tightly. “Why are you so stingy with the PDA?”
“I haven’t showered in like eight years.”
“What’s with the hyperbole?”
“I hyperbolize when I’m exhausted. It’s like cheap humor. Usually gets my point across.”
“You’re saying you don’t want me to kiss you?”
I laugh, closing my eyes—realizing I would never have left this hospital unless a doctor threatened to ban me. Realizing I am so glad Ace didn’t listen when I told him to stay away.
Realizing I basically have no fucking clue what I actually need.
But maybe Ace does.
“I’m saying I want to shower first. And then you can do whatever you like with me.”
18
ACE
I take her to Spades Royalle.
She falls asleep on the drive over, and I realize this woman is beyond spent. She needs a solid night of rest before we get away anywhere.
We take a back entrance to avoid the casino floor. Emmy is exhausted and doesn’t need to run into anyone she knows.
I take her to the penthouse on the top floor.
My penthouse.
“I thought you don’t take women here?” she asks as we step out of the elevator into my massive apartment.
“I don’t take women here. But you’re not any woman. You’re mine.”
I see her eyes glaze over with desire at my words. Good. I like to see Emmy coming back. Maybe she’s just been in the sterile hospital for too long.
I show her to the bathroom, and turn on the faucet in the shower, which is large enough for a motherfucking orgy.
I show her the drawer of toiletries, and step away to make a few calls.
“Hey,” I say when Claire picks up. “This is Ace. Ace Royalle. And I want to surprise Emmy. Can you help me?”
“Oh, thank you, lord,” Claire says into the phone. “That poor girl. She called earlier, so happy about her sister waking up—which I get, it’s a miracle. But then said she was going to stay at the hospital until she started talking.”
“Well, she’s at my place now. I’m guessing she’ll sleep for twelve hours and then I can take her somewhere she’s never been. Get her mind off things. Any suggestions?”
“I thought you were her boyfriend. Aren’t you supposed to know these things?”
I grimace, realizing there are a lot of things about her I don’t know. Favorite food. Favorite movie. Favorite position—at least with that one I can make a few educated guesses.
“She tell you I’m her boyfriend?”
“Ha. No. Emmy isn’t a girly-girl,” Claire says. “She doesn’t kiss and tell. She’s basically just wound up too tight for her own good. What she really needs is to completely turn off for a few days. A chance to stop thinking about everything ... and just remember who she is.”
My mind is already spinning with possibilities. I can turn off her mind all right. I can also take her far away, somewhere exotic and romantic. Palm Springs or Napa or the fucking Caribbean. I can take her away from everything.