The Unexpected Fight

EMMA

I don’t want to shatter the tender moment Diablo and I just shared, but I have to get ready to meet Carly at the club. She’ll be mad if I don’t show. I’ve been neglecting her a lot lately.

I need to figure out a schedule to balance my time between everything and everyone. Hopefully, Alex can help lighten the load, and Levi too.

Levi needs a break as well. But my crazy schedule hardly leaves him any time to breathe.

I lift my head from Diablo’s chest and look into his eyes. “Baby, I need to get ready. I’m meeting Carly tonight.

“And I need to check on Travis’s performance at the club to see if my advice is helping,” I try to move his heavy arm from my stomach.

“Do you really have to, baby? I just want some alone time with you.

“There’s always something or someone getting in our way, or something you need to do,” he murmurs, nuzzling his nose into my neck and pulling me closer to his warm, naked body.

“Yes, I do, baby. When you appointed me, you knew my time would be limited. I’m really trying to balance everything and keep everyone happy, especially you.

“I need you to work with me, not against me, baby,” I soothe, trying to calm him. His body tenses with every word I say.

“Alex is coming tomorrow as a second bodyguard. Hopefully, he can ease some pressure off Levi and me, but until he’s fully trained and I can trust him, my time will still be divided.”

This sets him off.

“What the fuck, Emma. Why am I always the last to know? And now you’re inviting the enemy to be one of your bodyguards. Are you out of your fucking mind?

“Didn’t you learn anything from Robert? I feel like I’m losing control over my business and everything is starting to revolve around you. I’m the boss, not you.

“It’s about fucking time you start treating me like the boss, Emma. From now on, everything goes through me. Are we clear?”

I’m stunned by Diablo’s outburst. And then I’m angry. Who does he think he is?

If it weren’t for me, he’d still be stuck where he was a few months ago. He certainly wouldn’t have expanded the businesses or made new alliances with the Mafia bosses.

Is this because I’m bringing Alex on board, or is there another reason? His outburst is totally uncalled for. He seems…jealous.

“Fuck you, Diablo. Need I remind you that you signed a contract making me the boss and you’re just the pretty face?”

“That’s one of the things I regret. I never thought you’d actually make something of it or achieve what you did. I also never thought I’d feel so out of control.”

“It doesn’t even feel like my business anymore. You’ve completely taken over everything. It’s ridiculous. I want control back. You need to change the contract.”

“All meetings and future business will be handled by me,” he snaps, his temper flaring.

“What else do you regret, Diablo?” I ask, my voice shaking. I’m already regretting asking, scared of his answer.

“You! I regret the day I met you, Emma. I wish I’d never seen you in the club. You’ve changed me in so many ways.”

“You even have me dreaming of a happily ever after, even though we both know it’s just an illusion. This whole situation is fucking ridiculous.”

What the actual fuck? Did he just demote me and dismiss everything I’ve done and achieved in such a short time? And he’s belittling our relationship, as if it means nothing.

I won’t stand for this. I don’t like insecure men and Diablo is reeking of insecurity and fear. And he regrets ever meeting me? This is bullshit.

How can he act like this and say our relationship means nothing after what we just shared?

What we have is amazing, but it scares him. I can see it in his face and his eyes.

His words are hurtful, shattering my heart into a million pieces, again. I thought we’d moved past this in our relationship; clearly not.

My whole body is shaking, my heart is in pieces because of the man I love. All because of his insecurities and fear of what we might become.

Why can’t he see the bigger picture? Together, we’d be a power couple, in business and in our personal lives. Why can’t he see that he’s letting his insecurities come between us?

“Are you sure this is what you want, Diablo? Because I remember telling you that if you ever chose this path, you’d regret it.”

“Are you threatening me, Emma? Because if you are, remember who made you what you are today.”

“Excuse me? I fucking hope I heard you wrong, Diablo. Are you saying you made me who I am today?

“~You~ trained me? ~You~ brought in three more Mafia bosses? ~You~ are the one Mason Magaddino wants to see, not me?”

“Yes!” he roars at me.

Just a few minutes ago he was declaring his love for me, saying he couldn’t live without me. Now he wants to be the boss again.

This conversation is making me fucking furious. I’m so angry I feel like strangling him.

Every time things are going well between us, he ruins it with his insecurities, fear, or jealousy. This is the second time he’s threatened me like this.

He listened to my first warning. He obviously doesn’t plan on listening to my second one. Well, if that’s what he wants, he’s going to get it. I hope he can live with the consequences.

“No problem, Diablo. I’ll draw up a new contract tomorrow, ending our business and personal relationship.

“I’ll have it sent to your office when I’m done,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite his outburst.

“Hold on, Emma. I didn’t say I wanted to end our business partnership. I just want to be the one calling the shots from now on.

“And I still want you in my bed. You’re mine, Emma. Only mine. No one else will ever touch you.”

“No, Diablo. I can’t agree to that. You just said you regret ever meeting me. So, we’re done. The whole contract is off.

“You can keep all the new businesses I’ve built and secured over the past few weeks, along with the contracts I’ve signed with the new Mafia bosses.

“But I’m taking my share of the money that’s owed to me. I worked for it, after all. After that, I want nothing to do with you.”

“I’ll make it like we never met. You get your wish, Diablo. I just hope you can live with your rash decision.”

I quickly pull on sweatpants and a hoodie, packing up my things from the closet and bathroom. I make sure to only take the clothes and belongings I bought myself.

I’ll never wear anything he bought for me again. My tears are threatening to spill, but I can’t let him see that he’s my weakness. He’d pounce on it like a starving lion.

I blink a few times, taking deep breaths to steady my emotions. This is harder than I ever imagined. I’m leaving Diablo.

It feels like my heart’s been ripped out of my chest, and with every word he says, he’s stomping on it. I won’t stand for him thinking he did all this on his own.

Without me, he wouldn’t be any closer to sitting down with other bosses, or owning more clubs. Right now, he’s one of the most powerful Mafia bosses, a title he wouldn’t have without Levi and me.

I won’t let him belittle me or take all the credit. He can go fuck himself. I’m done with him.

“What the fuck are you doing, Emma?” I can see he’s beyond furious, shouting at me as he gets dressed.

“Isn’t it obvious? Even someone like you should be able to see that I’m leaving you,” I shout back.

“No, it’s not. Why the fuck are you packing? You’re still mine. I still want you in my bed. I’ll never let you go. No man will ever satisfy you like I can.”

If I didn’t know he’d kill Dean, I’d tell him another man already has. But I keep my mouth shut.

With Dean’s visit coming up, I don’t want another death on my hands, especially not my friend’s.

“Diablo, either you’ve got amnesia or you were drunk when we signed the contract. I’m only yours until our business partnership ends. You just ended it.

“You wanted control over your business. Now you’ve got it. I just hope for your sake you don’t fuck it up.

“Remember what I told you that day when you spanked me? When I said I’d ruin you and take all the power?

“I meant every word, Diablo. You’ve always underestimated me. Tonight’s just another example.

“You can’t see what’s right in front of you, and frankly, I’m tired of showing you. One minute you say you love me and I should never leave you. The next, you’re trampling on my heart like it’s a worthless toy.

“Well, guess what, Diablo. I’m leaving you. Since you regret the day we met, I’m giving you what you want. You don’t deserve my love or my loyalty. You’ve fucked with both too many times.

“Your wishes are granted. Call me a fucking genie. But you should know this. You just ended us, what we had; you buried it with your harsh words, insecurities, and fear of what we are and what we could become.

“This is all on you.”

He just nods, probably thinking I’m joking. But I’ve never been more serious.

“I’m moving back to my penthouse. See you around, Diablo. Good luck with everything. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have friends to entertain tonight.”

I grab my small suitcase, laptop, and phone, and walk out of Diablo’s apartment, half-expecting him to stop me. But he doesn’t.

I pause in the kitchen to take his apartment key out of my purse, leaving it next to the coffee machine where I know he’ll see it.

I still hope he’ll come running out of the bedroom to stop me, but he doesn’t. I walk out of the apartment and wait for the elevator.

When it finally arrives and I’m safely inside, I let the tears I’ve been holding back fall freely down my cheeks.

What the fuck just happened?