Stupid man. Emily swiped at the tears pouring down her face. The only way she knew how to get over something that had really upset her was to cry it out. Only these waterworks had been a three-day deluge.

She cycled harder on her stationary bike, Spandau Ballet playing in her earbuds on repeat. Her eyes were so swollen she didn’t dare go outside for a walk, looking like she’d been battered. Besides, the Oreos were in the apartment.

She reached for one and jammed it in her mouth. “Soopid ann,” she said, bits of Oreo flying from her lips.

Levi was wrong. What they had was special. How could he not see that?

Stubborn, bullheaded brick wall. She’d been ramming up against that wall repeatedly. Well, no more! She was finished. Her own sister had predicted this outcome, because Lisa knew Levi as well as anyone. Emily wasn’t some exception to the rule. She was the rule—no different than anyone else he’d been with. Only he’d at least committed to Lisa. All Emily got was sex.

Okay—good sex.

Hot sex.

But she deserved more from Levi or any man.

More than the occasional phone calls she’d received from her father when he felt like it.

More than put-downs from her asshole ex.

She’d never had a man who cherished her, but she deserved one.

She’d gotten to know Levi. He was dependable, honorable, and protective of the people he cared about. But he was being an ass. If he wasn’t willing to put her first, she wasn’t going to continue pining after him, no matter how much she cared for him.

Stupid men. She growled—and a crumb of cookie lodged in her throat, making her hack. Which made her cry harder.

Stupid tears!

Why would the universe do this to her? She’d fallen in love with the most stubborn male alive. And now she had to live with not living with him.

Emily reached for the tissue on her nightstand, but her stationary bike was too far away and she nearly tipped it. She pulled out the tissue from inside her pocket, but she’d used it so often the material disintegrated in her hand.

Tugging out her earbuds and hauling her wobbly legs off the bike, she walked across the room and blew her nose a few thousand times until she could breathe again.

And that was when she smelled it.

Smoke.

* * *

Levi pulled up to Emily’s house right as the firefighters were climbing down from their trucks. He overheard the words “fast attack” on one of the crew’s radios, but he didn’t need the update. Flames were visibly pouring out of the upper left window.

Levi’s heart raced, his muscles bunching.

While the crew jogged to the main staircase and around the back of the building, Levi ran for the side railing. He’d be in deep shit if he hindered the firefighters’ ability to do their jobs, but no way in hell he was staying out here while Emily was inside. She wasn’t answering her phone, and he didn’t think she’d be out and about if she’d called in sick. Even if her reasons for doing so were to stay away from him.

Jesus Christ. Emily. Why hadn’t he told her how he felt? Why had he let her walk away?

He leapt onto the railing that ran along the bottom floor and reached for the railing on the second floor, pulling himself up. Deaf to the shouts of the firefighters, he raced down the hallway, scanning apartment numbers. He hesitated for a split second in front of apartment number nine, checked the temperature of the door, then twisted the handle.

Locked. “Emily!”

He peered inside the window and didn’t see her. He didn’t see smoke either, thank God. But trace amounts were likely creeping in her apartment and would soon fill it unless the firefighters put out the flames quickly.

Levi kicked the door once. Twice. A loud crack sounded after the third kick. He slammed his booted foot into it a fourth time and the door flew open.

“Emily!” He swept inside, scanning the first bedroom that was small and didn’t fit much more than a desk and chair.

And then she was standing in the hallway, her eyes puffy and red. It looked like she hadn’t slept in days, dark crescents beneath her eyes.

A rush of air eased out of his chest. He moved forward and squeezed her to his body. “You’re okay?”

“What’s going on?” Her voice was muffled against him, and he loosened his hold, but not by much. “I just noticed the smoke and heard the sirens.”

He didn’t answer, simply threw her over his shoulder, and hauled her out of the apartment and past the firefighters on their way up the stairs.

“Levi Cade!” the company officer shouted. “After I put this fire out, you’ll be hearing from me.”

Levi stopped in front of Adam’s truck and hesitated, not wanting to let Emily go.

“Levi”—Emily tapped his back—“put me down. You didn’t need to carry me. I could have walked.”

Course she could have. But he’d felt a hell of a lot better being in control until he got her out of the burning building. Bad things happened in burning buildings. Roofs collapsed. Cement blocks landed on heads.

He lowered her to the ground, keeping her body close to him. He knew what he needed to do, but for the first time in his life, putting out a fire was the last thing he wanted to do. Still, he should check in with the firefighter in charge. “Will you be all right for a moment?”

“Yes,” she said, but she wrapped her arms around her chest, looking so small.

He’d thrown down his flannel to fight Adam earlier, and now he could kick himself for not having anything to put over her shoulders.

He reached behind the truck’s driver seat and grabbed the blanket Adam kept there, draping it around her. “Don’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, and he made his way to the officer. He didn’t want to leave Emily, but he should check in with the crew before they left.

He approached the firefighter in charge. “Need any help?”

Bill, a man Levi had worked with before, shook his head. “It’s been evacuated.” He glanced at the door Levi had kicked in. “We’ll board that up.” He cut Levi a quelling look. “Now get the hell out of here before civilians start thinking they can run into burning buildings.”

Levi didn’t need to be told twice. He headed straight back for Emily and grabbed her, hauling her into his arms. He tucked her head beneath his chin and filled his nose with her sweet floral scent.

His eyes burned, and it wasn’t from the smoke.

He could have lost her. The club wasn’t more important than Emily. Why had he been such a dumb shit?

He’d thought his past with her sister mattered? It didn’t.

That he needed to protect the club—well, he needed to do that, but he could do it and still have Emily at his side. The club and all it entailed was messy, but so what? Life was messy, and Emily didn’t seem to mind helping him fix the mess. She seemed to relish it. So what the hell had been his problem?

He might be capable of putting out fires—physical or otherwise—but none of it mattered unless he had Emily. “I was an idiot. I think—I think I was afraid of losing another person I cared about. I’m sorry for everything.”

He felt her swallow. “You’re sure?”

He looked down at her and kissed her nose. “I prioritized my work, my stupid past—which should be left in the past—over you. Running into a burning building was always easier. Taking over a business I knew nothing about annoyed me more than anything. But risking myself on you terrified me. You weren’t a part of the plan, but plans can go to hell. I know that as well as anyone. I don’t care about any of it anymore. Not if I don’t have you. I’m willing to take a risk on us, but do you still want me? I wouldn’t blame you if you’ve changed your mind.”

Her chest jerked on a choked laugh. “You are a stubborn mule. Of course I still want you, but I can’t do this unless you’re all in.”

He wrapped his arms around her until his fingertips touched the sides of her hips and she was fully encased in his embrace. “I’m all in.”

She lightly shivered and nuzzled in closer. “How in the world did you know about the fire, anyway? For the record, I smelled the smoke and was about to walk out, perfectly safe.”

“Wasn’t taking chances,” he mumbled into her hair. “I heard about the fire from a police scanner. I listen in from time to time. Old habit.”

Raising one hand to the back of her head, he looked down at her. “There will always be fires to put out. It’s the one inside my chest that burns for you that I don’t want to get rid of. I’d like it to simmer good and long.” He dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply.

She pulled back, gasping for air. “I’ll have you know, I haven’t brushed my teeth.”

“You taste sweet to me.” He kissed her cheekbone and tried to go in for another one on the lips.

She frowned halfheartedly. “Must be all those Oreos I ate trying to convince myself that I’d be able to forget you.”

His face grew serious. “Don’t forget me.”

She gently touched the scar above his eye. “Don’t push me away. You need to hear me.”

He tucked his head near her neck. “I always heard you. Just wasn’t listening to my gut. But I won’t make that mistake again.” He squeezed her a little. “Give me a chance?”

She sighed. “I suppose. Those Oreos were going to be the death of me. At least now I can stop eating them to feel better.”

“You can still eat them. Just eat them at my house. In my bed.”