Chapter 59

Fifty-Nine

SCOTTIE

He wants to take all my burdens away, but the best I can do is introduce him to my brother.

"Take it or leave it, Olson." I raise my eyebrow from the passenger seat with the barbed-wire fence looming behind him through the window.

"Why won't you let me take care of you?" he asks.

I flatten my lips and almost get lost in his dreamy eyes before snapping out of it and giving him my reasons— again . "You do take care of me." Every single time you look at me. "It is not your responsibility to take care of William, though."

Days after the news leaked and Emory ushered Shutter and me back home, we had a long talk.

And by long talk, I mean I sat Emory down, slapped his hand five hundred times while he tried to distract me by touching me all over, and filled him in on my plans for the future. I thought it showed great growth, considering I am infuriatingly independent according to him, but he still fought me tooth and nail.

I explained that I no longer wanted him to pay me the $100,000, which naturally, he argued with right away. He went as far as pulling out the contract and threatened to get his lawyer involved.

So, we compromised.

He pays the remainder of what I owe the lawyer to get me caught up on the past dues, and I will cover the new legal fees to appeal William's case from whatever I make from taking photos. Despite all the drama that was stirred up when the news leaked, it took a dramatic turn after Emory made his statement during the post-game conference.

He was labeled as a romantic, and I was labeled as the league's sweetheart.

It didn't take long for inquiries to pile in for me to offer up my photography skills either.

I'm booked for the next several months. Weddings, engagements, family photos, you name it.

Hattie and the rest of the wives forced me to sit with them at the next game too. I thought they'd want to keep their distance from me, considering everything, but they proved me wrong.

Georgia begged me to still take her wedding photos, and by the end of the first period, I had Nola cradled in her Blue Devils blanket while Vivian cheered our team on with her face pressed against the glass.

Things aren't perfect.

But I'm happy.

"But—" Emory attempts to argue with me again about the legal fees, but I put a stop to it by leaning over the center console and planting my lips on his. My hand just so happens to fall to his lap near the place that I know will make his thoughts scatter for a second.

"Not fair," he says against my lips. His hand falls to my ass, and he gives it a good squeeze before going back in for another hot kiss.

I moan accidentally. He breaks us apart, and his eyes flare with something wildly enticing.

"Oops," I say.

"Get out of the car before I end up behind bars for publicly fucking my wife in broad daylight."

There they are. My favorite words: my wife.

"Don't look at me like that, Biscotti." Emory smirks, and my stomach does a flip. "Or else the first time I meet your brother, I'm going to be hiding a boner."

I make a face and glance at the prison behind him. "Probably not the best place to have one of those, huh?"

Emory chuckles. "Come on, baby. Let's go."

He climbs out of the car, expecting me to follow, but I don't.

I watch as he rounds the hood to my side, and when he opens my door, he only has to take one look at my face before understanding what I'm feeling.

He squats down and reaches his hand toward mine.

One squeeze and I look at him. "You nervous?"

I clench my teeth and nod. "I just don't like to see him like this. In here."

Emory gives my hand another squeeze. "Do you want to leave?"

I shake my head and chew on the inside of my cheek.

His thumb starts to rub against my skin in the most comforting way. "I'm here, okay? I'm with you, and you can lean on me when things become…too much."

My stomach is still in knots, but a few untie just from the unwavering devotion in his eye. I'm glad he's here with me, and for the first time in my life, I'm not alone. I don't have to do this by myself.

Emory straightens the wedding ring on my finger and waits until I look at him again. "Come on, Biscotti." He grins. "I'm ready to meet my brother-in-law."

I smile hesitantly and climb out of the car. Our hands intertwine as we head toward the prison gate as husband and wife.