The standoff broke when Emmett turned away without a word. He walked with heavy, deliberate steps into the massive living room, heading straight for the custom crystal liquor cabinet.

He poured himself half a glass of single malt whiskey. The ice cubes clinked sharply against the glass, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

Emmett pulled open the drawer of his mahogany desk. He took out a thick checkbook embossed with the dark Cosmos Dynamics logo.

He pulled a Montblanc pen from his pocket. He aggressively signed his name at the bottom of a blank check, the nib scratching loudly against the paper. He walked back and slammed the check onto the glass coffee table.

"Quit your job at the hospital," Emmett ordered. His voice left no room for argument. "You are going to be Charlee's full-time private doctor."

Gabriella looked down at the piece of paper. It was a blank check. She knew she could write any number on that line, and she would never have to worry about money again for the rest of her life.

A cold, bitter laugh escaped her lips. She reached down and picked up the check. Emmett watched her, a hint of surprise flashing in his dark eyes.

Gabriella gripped the edges of the paper and ripped it straight down the middle. The tearing sound was loud and violent.

She tossed the torn pieces into the metal trash can next to the desk.

"I am helping my friend," Gabriella said, her voice hard as stone. "I am not selling myself to an arrogant billionaire."

She grabbed her trench coat from the back of the sofa. She didn't say goodbye to Eloise. She didn't look at Emmett. She marched straight to the elevator and pressed the button.

Emmett's fingers tightened around his whiskey glass. His knuckles turned bone white. His eyes burned with a furious, dark fire. The rejection hit him hard, fueling a terrifying need to conquer her.

The elevator doors slid shut. The moment she was alone, Gabriella's knees went weak. She leaned her back against the cold metal wall of the elevator, gasping for air. Her heart was beating so fast it hurt her ribs.

She walked out of the luxury building. The freezing winter air of Manhattan hit her face, clearing the fog from her brain.

She wrapped her coat tighter around her body and walked fast toward the subway. She had to report for her first day at the new medical center.

An hour later, Gabriella stood on the sidewalk outside the Mount Sinai Medical Center. She smoothed down the wrinkles on her professional skirt.

Just as she reached for the glass door, a flash of silver caught her eye. A stunning Porsche 911 was parked illegally by the curb.

A tall man wearing a perfectly tailored Savile Row suit was leaning against the driver's side door. He was looking down at his expensive watch.

The sun broke through the gray clouds, hitting his golden-brown hair. His side profile looked like a perfect Greek statue.

Gabriella's heart skipped a beat. Her feet froze to the pavement. She stared at the figure, unable to believe her eyes.

The man felt her gaze. He lifted his head. His eyes were a clear, warm ocean blue.

Jerrell Bishop smiled. It was his signature smile-gentle, perfect, and capable of melting all the snow in New York.

He pushed off the car. His long legs carried him through the busy crowd without hesitation. He walked straight toward her.

Gabriella's eyes filled with hot tears. Ten years of loneliness, exhaustion, and fighting her battles alone hit her all at once. Her throat tightened painfully.

Jerrell stopped right in front of her. He opened his arms. His movements were incredibly soft as he pulled her into his chest.

The familiar scent of cedar and amber cologne wrapped around her. Gabriella closed her eyes. Her tense muscles finally relaxed. She felt like a ship that had finally found its harbor.

Jerrell rested his chin on the top of her head. He let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"Welcome home, my girl," he whispered against her hair.

Across the street, parked in the shadows, sat a black, bulletproof SUV. Emmett sat in the back seat. He stared through the heavily tinted window, his eyes locked on the two people hugging on the sidewalk.

The temperature inside the SUV dropped to freezing. The driver in the front seat was sweating profusely, too terrified to even breathe loudly.

Emmett's face was completely blank. He pulled a thick cigar from his pocket. He didn't light it. He gripped it with both hands and snapped it violently in half. Tobacco spilled onto his expensive pants. He pulled out his phone, his voice cold and commanding as he spoke to the person on the other end. "The board meeting is in ten minutes. Tell them I'm on my way." He snapped the phone shut, his eyes still burning with the image of their embrace on the sidewalk.

"Drive," Emmett ordered, his voice sounding like grinding stones.

The black SUV pulled away from the curb like a ghost, disappearing into the chaotic city traffic.

Jerrell slowly released Gabriella. He naturally reached out and took her heavy tote bag from her shoulder. He smiled and pointed toward a high-end cafe across the street, asking if she had time to catch up.

Jerrell pulled open the heavy glass door of the upscale cafe across from the hospital. He guided Gabriella inside, his hand hovering respectfully just behind her lower back.

He pulled out a chair by the large window and waited for her to sit down before taking the seat across from her.

Without asking, Jerrell looked at the waiter. "One skim latte, no sugar, and an oatmeal cookie, please."

Gabriella felt a sudden rush of warmth in her chest. He remembered. After ten years, he still remembered exactly how she took her coffee. The tight knot of anxiety in her stomach finally loosened.

Jerrell folded his hands on the marble table. His blue eyes held a gentle, scolding look.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back to New York?" he asked softly.

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek. She stirred her coffee with the small wooden stick.

"I just finished my fellowship in California," she explained, looking down at her cup. "I wanted to get my apartment sorted out before I bothered anyone."

Jerrell sighed. He reached across the table. His long fingers gently brushed against her cheek as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

The physical contact made Gabriella's breath hitch. Her skin tingled where he touched her. It felt exactly like it did ten years ago in their high school library.

Desperate to hide the sudden flush on her neck, Gabriella quickly changed the subject.

"I had a terrible night yesterday," she blurted out. She gripped her coffee cup tightly. "I got picked up by this horrible, unlicensed driver at the airport."

She rapidly told him about the nightmare ride and the humiliating scene at the police station. She told him the driver was Emmett Kane.

The moment that name left her lips, the warmth in Jerrell's eyes vanished. His brow furrowed deeply.

He pulled his hand back and sat up straight. His voice became incredibly serious.

"Gabby, listen to me," Jerrell warned, leaning closer. "Stay far away from the Kane family. Especially Emmett."

Jerrell lowered his voice, looking around the cafe. He described Emmett's reputation in the Manhattan elite circles. He called him a ruthless playboy who destroyed lives for fun.

"Cosmos Dynamics is a tech giant, yes," Jerrell said, his jaw tight. "But the way Emmett built that empire... it was bloody. He has no morals."

Gabriella's stomach dropped. Her hands felt cold. She realized her decision to tear up that blank check this morning was the smartest thing she had ever done.

Before she could respond, a deafening roar of a V8 engine shattered the quiet atmosphere of the cafe.

A bright red Ferrari violently pulled up to the curb, parking illegally right on the yellow line outside the window.

The butterfly doors swung upward. Julian Croft jumped out. He was wearing a loud floral silk shirt and oversized sunglasses.

Julian spotted them through the glass. He waved his arms wildly and jogged into the cafe.

"You guys are having a secret reunion without me?" Julian yelled, slapping Jerrell hard on the shoulder.

Julian pulled off his sunglasses. He looked at Gabriella and let out an exaggerated, loud whistle.

"Damn, Gabby," Julian grinned. "You got way hotter than you were in high school."

Gabriella burst out laughing. The heavy, terrifying talk about Emmett Kane was instantly forgotten. Julian's chaotic energy was exactly what she needed.

Julian slammed his hands on the table. "I'm paying tonight. We are going to that new three-star Michelin place in Midtown. Welcome back dinner!"

Gabriella instinctively shook her head. "I can't, Julian. I have an early board meeting at the hospital tomorrow."

Jerrell placed his hand softly over hers. "It's just one dinner, Gabby. You need to relax. I promise I'll drive you home early and safe."

Looking at the eager faces of her two oldest friends, Gabriella couldn't find it in her heart to say no. She nodded slowly.

Julian snapped his fingers in excitement. He immediately pulled out his phone, dialing the restaurant manager to secure the VIP private dining room.

As the sun began to set over Manhattan, Jerrell drove his Porsche toward Midtown. Classical music played softly from the speakers. Jerrell reached over and turned the heater up two degrees, noticing Gabriella shivering slightly.

Gabriella looked out the window at the blurring neon lights. For the first time since she landed, she felt a genuine sense of anticipation for the night.

But she had no idea what Julian had done. Right after booking the table, Julian had opened his messages and casually sent the restaurant's GPS pin to Emmett Kane.

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.