Page 125 of Open To Negotiation

“Emmaline,” he said as I shivered.

“It’s Emma,” she responded stiffly.

“Do you two know each other?” I looked between them.

“I met her once when she came with her dad to our offices a while back.” Noah nodded at her again and then started to pull me back toward the house. I pulled away from him easily and went back to Emma. “Quinn, let’s go.” His voice was giving away his annoyance. That wasn’t normal for him.

“Can I have your phone?” I asked as I held out my hand. She quickly unlocked it and passed it to me. “Quinn West,” I said as I inputted my number. “Call me, if you ever need someone to talk to.” She gave me a curious look. “I’m serious. Use it.”

With that I walked back to Noah, and we make our way inside.

“I haven’t seen her in a while.” I looked up at Noah’s muttering, more to himself than me.

“Okay well, I know the burial service is coming up, you might not see me for a bit since I’ll be hiding at the back.” I wasn’t sure that he heard me as we stepped back into the room and Noah muttered about needing a drink. He didn’t wait for me to pass him his jacket back before he took off.

I looked around the room, my eyes finding Theo like I had a sixth sense for him. I took a step back when I saw him.

A woman was pressed against him, her hand on his chest, he was looking down at her, not pushing her away while my heart cracked more, if that was even possible.

I was holding out hope that maybe something else had forced our breakup, that was what everyone was trying to lead me to believe. But maybe for the last few weeks while I was heartbroken and alone trying to pick up the pieces, he was moving on like I was nothing.

Logically I knew that I could be interpreting this wrong. That if I wanted a real answer I could walk over there and ask him. Communicate. But what would be the point? Because either way we were broken up. He ended this. And I had no business being here, not now. I also had no interest in watching as the woman leaned in further.

I spun on my heel and hid in a nearby hallway. Placing a hand on my chest, I tried to take a few breaths, pushing my tears down. I couldn’t keep crying over a man that didn’t love me the way I loved him.

“Are you okay, Miss?” I opened my eyes to see one of the servers looking at me with concern.

“I need a way out of here that doesn’t require me to walk through that room, and I need the number of a cab company.”

Something about me must have looked desperate enough because he nodded and started walking down the hall. I shoved my arms through Noah’s jacket and walked as quickly as I could behind him in my heels.

“We have cabs on standby to take guests home. Won’t be cheap,” he commented as we walked through the kitchen full of staff and out a side door.

“I don’t care.” I wrapped my arms around myself and was thankfully in a cab less than three minutes after walking out of the house.

“Where to?” the cab driver asked as we pulled around the circular drive.

“I need to go to The Plaza.” I pulled up my phone to find the first flight home out of New York. The drive back to the hotel took under two hours and I was surprised no one had blown up my phone yet. I jumped out of the cab and looked at the door man.

“Can you have a car waiting down here in five minutes for me?” The man nodded and I walked through the lobby, pulling out my phone again and dialing.

“Why the hell are you calling me? Where are you?” Asher asked as he picked up. I’d been banking on the guys assuming someone else was with me. That it would take them a while to notice I was gone especially because they probably wouldn’t look for me until after the service. I was just surprised it worked.

“I left.” The second I was in my room I started throwing my things in my bag.

“What the hell do you mean?” Asher said, the noise behind him quieting.

“I left, Ash. I’m going home to deal with my apartment and then I’m going to Italy like I planned.” I was grateful I hadn’t brought much stuff, not even bothering to change before zipping my suitcase shut.

“What are you talking about? Knight needs—”

“Don’t try and lie to me, Theo needs nothing from me. He made that very clear. But regardless, I can’t care about what Theo needs right now, Ash. I need to leave. I have a flight in two hours.” I left the key card in the room and got back in the elevator.

“Shit.” He let out a breath. He knew he couldn’t get to me in time. Or convince me to change my mind. “When are you going to go to Italy?”

“I don’t know. Two, maybe three days from now. Once I get my stuff out and rebook my flight.”

He was quiet for a few moments as I got in the car and asked the driver to take me to the airport. “Aren’t you supposed to be out of your apartment tomorrow?”