Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“You never need to be shy with me, Violet.” He tugged me over to the couch, dropping onto a cushion and pulling me onto his lap. “If there’s something you need, I’m gonna figure out a way to give it to you. Doesn’t matter what it is.”
I took a deep breath while I gathered my courage. Then I blurted, “Am I really yours if I’m not wearing your property patch?”
“Is that what’s bothering you, baby?” A wide grin stretched across his face before he put two fingers between his lips and whistled. When everyone turned to look at us, he called, “Hey, Prez! Did that order finally come in?”
“Yup, while you guys were out, as a matter of fact.” King turned toward the prospect who was manning the bar. “There’s a brown paper bag back there. Grab it for me.”
“Sure thing, Prez.”
The guy bent down to look under the bar and popped back up with the bag in his hand. Then he tossed it to King, who strode over to us. Brodie snagged the bag from him and reached inside to pull out a black leather vest that was sized for me.
Property of Echo was embroidered on a patch, and I traced the letters with trembling fingers. “You were already planning to claim me as your old lady?”
“Soon as this came in,” he confirmed with a nod, gently lifting my arm to tug it through one of the holes in the vest. After he settled the leather against my back, he did the same with the other side. Then he gripped the lapels to pull me close. “Fuck, you look good with my name on you. Proclaiming to the world that you belong to me.”
“I do, huh?” I twirled around in a circle, the breath catching in my throat at the possessive gleam in his eyes when I faced him again.
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He tilted his head to the side. “But something is missing.”
My brows drew together as I glanced down at myself. “There is? What?”
“This.”
I looked up and found him down on one knee in front of me, holding up a ring. The diamond solitaire twinkled in the light.
I could barely believe what I was seeing. Although his president and VP were both married, I hadn’t expected him to propose quite so soon since we’d only known each other for about a month. But now that I truly thought about it, the same logic would’ve applied to him giving me his property patch, and that hadn’t surprised me at all.
“You gonna answer me, baby? Or are you just gonna stand there lookin’ like I just shocked the shit outta you so much that you can’t even use that beautiful voice of yours?”
Ace leaned toward him and muttered, “Not sure that’s how to get the girl to accept your proposal.”
“Was it a proposal? Because I don’t remember hearing him ask me to marry him,” I teased.
“Shit,” Brodie groaned, raking his fingers through his hair before getting to his feet and shoving the ring on my finger. “As long as I already fucked this up, I might as well just tell you that you’re gonna marry me instead of giving you the chance to turn me down.”
His response was so Brodie that I just giggled and went along with it. “Well, if you put it that way, I guess we’re getting married.”
“Soon, baby,” he insisted, his lips brushing against mine as he whispered into my mouth. “Because I love you too damn much to wait to make you my wife.”
“You love me?” I gasped, tears welling in my eyes over hearing those three little words from him.
“Of course, I do, baby.” He shook his head with a deep laugh. “Fuck, I never actually said it before now, did I? It’s a good thing I’m only ever going to propose once in my life because I’m no damn good at it.”
“You’re wrong. That was perfect,” I disagreed, shaking my head. “I love you too, Brodie. And I want nothing more than to be your wife. Except maybe to have your babies, too.”
He patted my belly with a smirk. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m doing my best to make sure that happens soon, too.”
EPILOGUE
ECHO
“So?” I asked Violet as she stared out the front window of the house we were touring. “What do you think?”
“I—” She stopped abruptly and slapped her hand over her mouth as she spun around and darted out of the living room.
“Baby?” I called out with worry as I hurried after her. Seconds later, I found her by following the sounds of her retching. “Shit,” I grunted, gathering her hair up so she didn't vomit in it.
She heaved a few more times, then plopped down onto her ass, exhausted.
“If you didn’t like the house, you could have just told me,” I teased as I grabbed a cloth I found under the sink and ran it under cool water.