“I meant every word. I know this is fast, and it’s a ton of changes. You don’t have to say anything or even feel the same,” she breaks eye contact. “With the way both of our parents died so suddenly, I never want to miss the opportunity to tell you exactly how I feel.”
I sit up, pulling her with me, needing her close; needing her where I can see every expression when I finally tell her the truth I’ve been swallowing for far too long.
“When you walked into my life the day of your interview …I knew. I knew you were it for me. You were terrified of your family. Coming to me to hide from them. I knew you wanted me, but the thought of our families saying no kept you away. But I wasn’t scared. Not for a single second did I doubt what we were meant to be. While you were worrying over the fact that they would never allow it, I was working on sealing our fates. I started this deal with your brother the day you submitted your resume; making sure not a single person in either family would ever have the power to keep you from me.”
Tears run down her face, so I reach up, cradling her face in both hands, needing her to feel every word.
“My answer to your declaration is this … love isn’t a strong enough word for what I feel for you. It never has been. You are my sun, Tinsley. The center of every thought, every decision, and every breath I take. My life—every brutal, bloody, unforgiving part of it—belongs to you now. My only purpose is to make your days overflow with happiness, with devotion, and to make sure you will never doubt your worth. You will never wonder if you’re enough. You'll never question whether you’re what I want. You have been my single obsession since the first time I laid eyes on you. I love you, Tinsley Reeves. So completely that I will destroy anything or anyone that tries to stand between us.”
She laughs through her sobs. “All I needed was anI love youor two.”
We fall into each other two more times before we ever leave our room to celebrate Christmas Eve with the others.
Fourteen
Tinsley
Christmas Eve was perfect. Kingston, Vito, Bryce, Miss Tina, Silas, Loretta, and even her mother's best friend Lotty came to the house. We exchanged presents, baked and decorated cookies, and had the most amazing dinner. We’re all sitting around the fire playingCards Against Humanity, laughing our ass off well into the night. I’m snuggled into Andre’s side, barely holding my eyes open when the grandfather clock chimes at midnight. I sit straight up, full of excitement.
Looking back at Andre, I beam at him. “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
All the women in the room jump up, shouting Merry Christmas and passing out hugs. Kingston stands, pulling me into a tight hug.
When he steps back, he places his hands on my shoulders. “Tins, I love you. You’ll always be my baby sister, and I will always have your back. The day has come that I must hand your care over to another. He’s promised to love you and make every day feel like magic. And if he doesn’t, well, you know how to handle that.”
He gives me a soft smile, kissing me on the top of my head. “Now, turn and step into the very beginning of your happily ever after.”
He uses his hands on my shoulders to turn me around to see Andre kneeling on the floor, a ring box in hand. My hands instantly go to cover my mouth.
“Earlier I told you all the ways I love and adore you. Now I just need you to say yes,” Andre says, smiling nervously.
“What exactly am I saying yes to? You haven’t asked me a question,” I sass, placing a single hand on my hip.
Andre’s eyes go dark with need. “You're right. I didn’t ask. I’m telling you, Tinsley Reeves, you're going to marry me.”
I launch myself at him. “You're damn right I am. Now take me upstairs so I can show you exactly how happy I am about this.”
Andre cups me under my ass as I wrap my legs around his waist. He spins us around, marching up the stairs. I wave goodbye to the people watching as we go. I can't wipe the smile off my face because I’m finally content for the first time in my life.
The next four months fly by. Andre and I decided to wait to have our wedding until after the baby comes. He has finally gotten things worked out, and we’ve been in a fragile state of peace.
I’m sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch talking to Silas, enjoying the cool spring day. At seven months pregnant, I’m always burning up.
“Nipote Acquisita, I think I’m losing my mind,” Silas says, sounding defeated.
His dementia has been progressing, but we were unsure if he had noticed.
“Before I comment on that, are you ever going to tell me what that means?” I ask him, not ready for the conversation we’re about to have.
“I figured at this point you would have already looked it up or asked your brother what it meant,” Silas chuckles, shaking his head.
I shrug, “What’s the fun in that?”
Silas chuckles, shaking his finger at me. “Now back to the other conversation. I think I’m losing it. I swear I’ll put something down and then come back and it’s gone or moved. I’m telling you it's not me.”
With every word he says, my heart squeezes because I’ve been feeling the exact same way. Andre had been blaming it on pregnancy brain. Now, I know it’snotthat, and thereissomething going on. My mind goes back to the night of the intruder, and my soul sinks. Someone is in the house, and they are fucking with shit. I stand from the rocking chair as quickly as I can with an enormous belly.
“Tinsley, are you okay, sweetie?” Miss Tina calls after me.
