The waiter bowed respectfully and pushed open the heavy, carved wooden doors. Gabriella, Jerrell, and Julian walked into the private dining room. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the round table.
Jerrell naturally pulled out the chair to the right of the main seat. He gestured for Gabriella to sit, then took the seat immediately to her left, positioning himself like a protective shield.
Julian threw himself into the chair across from them. He immediately started talking loudly about a wild yacht party he attended in the Hamptons last weekend.
Gabriella smiled politely, taking small sips of her sparkling water. The stories of trust funds and champagne towers felt entirely alien to her life as a doctor.
The waiter returned, trembling visibly as he carefully placed bowls of custom seafood bisque in front of each guest, the rich aroma filling the tense air.
Jerrell picked up his wine glass. He smiled at Gabriella, opening his mouth to propose a toast.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden doors of the private room were violently shoved open from the outside. They hit the wall with a loud bang.
Emmett walked in. He brought the freezing winter air of New York in with him. He was wearing a dark gray bespoke suit that made his broad shoulders look even more intimidating. His face was carved from ice.
The air in the room instantly evaporated. Julian choked on his oyster, coughing loudly into his napkin. He stared at Emmett with wide, terrified eyes.
Jerrell's face turned dark red. His blue eyes flashed with extreme, barely contained hatred.
Gabriella's hand jerked. Water splashed over the rim of her glass, landing on her silk skirt. She stared at the man, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Emmett completely ignored Jerrell's murderous glare. He walked straight toward the only empty chair left at the table-the one directly to Gabriella's right.
He pulled the chair out aggressively and sat down. His massive frame radiated a crushing physical dominance.
The heavy scent of cedar and tobacco instantly invaded Gabriella's personal space. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her lungs burned.
Julian let out a nervous, high-pitched laugh.
"Hey, Emmett," Julian stuttered, his hands shaking. "I just sent the pin as a joke. I didn't think you'd actually show up."
Emmett slowly turned his head. He looked at Julian. His eyes were so sharp and deadly that Julian instantly snapped his mouth shut and looked down at his plate.
Gabriella took a deep breath. She decided the best strategy was to pretend the monster sitting next to her did not exist. She picked up her silver soup spoon.
Just as the edge of the spoon touched her lips, Emmett suddenly leaned in. His broad shoulder brushed hard against hers.
He reached out and grabbed her right wrist. His grip was like a steel vice. Gabriella gasped, trying to yank her arm back, but he was too strong.
While holding her wrist, Emmett leaned his head down. Right in front of the horrified eyes of Jerrell and Julian, Emmett opened his mouth and took the spoonful of soup directly from Gabriella's hand.
He swallowed slowly. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. He leaned back, his face inches from hers.
"Too much salt," Emmett stated, his voice a low rumble. "Garbage."
Gabriella's face exploded in heat. Her cheeks burned furiously. The intense, forced physical intimacy of sharing the spoon made her stomach twist in knots.
She violently ripped her wrist out of his grip. She slammed the silver spoon down onto her porcelain plate. The loud clatter echoed in the silent room.
"Are you out of your mind?" Gabriella hissed through her teeth, leaning away from him. "Do you have zero basic table manners?"
Jerrell slammed both hands onto the table and shot up from his chair.
"Back off, Kane!" Jerrell shouted, his chest heaving. "Show some damn respect!"
Emmett did not even look at Jerrell. He lazily leaned back in his chair. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a custom black smartphone.
He tapped the screen once and shoved the phone across the table, stopping it right in front of Gabriella.
The screen glowed brightly. It showed a text message thread. The last message Emmett had sent was marked with a bright red exclamation point, indicating it had been blocked.
Emmett's lips curled into a wicked, cruel smile.
"Tell me, Gabriella," Emmett's deep voice vibrated through the room. "Why did you block my number the second you walked out of my apartment this morning?"
The question hit the room like a bomb. Jerrell and Julian both snapped their heads toward Gabriella, their eyes wide with absolute shock.
