Reese squeezed harder, banging Troy’s wrist on the floor until the gun fell from Troy’s hand, but Troy jerked free and rolled to his feet. Reese followed, kicking the gun out of Troy’s reach.
The door swung open as they faced each other, circling now, taking each other’s measure. Jax stood in the opening, gun drawn, but Reese just shook his head.
Troy moved in and swung a blow Reese ducked, then straightened and hit him with a left-right combination. Reese counterpunched, hitting Troy hard in the jaw, but Troy stayed on his feet.
“Looks like your skills have improved since college,” Reese said.
“It’s all about motivation.” Troy flashed a feral smile. “I’ve always wanted to kick your ass.”
Reese’s jaw clenched. “Come and get me.”
Taking the bait, Troy stepped into the trap Reese had set. Troy swung, Reese ducked and threw a series of punches that drove Troy back against the wall. A framed photo of Reese with his brothers hit the floor and glass shattered as he moved in to finish Troy off, knocking his head back again and again, then throwing a last hard punch that rang Troy’s bell and sent him crashing into a table, knocking it over. He landed unconscious on the plush gray carpet.
Ryker rushed into the office and in seconds, Troy was cuffed and sitting on the floor, his back against the wood-paneled wall.
“Cops are on the way,” Jax said.
But Reese was already walking toward Kenzie, then pulling her into his arms. “I’m not the same man,” he said to her. “I hope you believe that.”
Kenzie looked up at him, emotion in her face. “You’re the best man I’ve ever known, Reese Garrett, and I love you.”
The last of the ice in his heart melted away. “I love you, too,” he said. And then he kissed her, in front of half the staff clustered at the door. And his bodyguard.
FORTY-TWO
Kenzie sat on the sofa in Reese’s living room. It was late. They had spent hours with the Dallas police. Troy Graves, who had only been wanted for questioning in regard to the Poseidon, was now in police custody and facing charges of attempted murder, among a long list of others.
Two of the Poseidon crew had been arrested on an array of charges that included discharging an explosive device on a marine vessel, resulting in grave personal injury. People were going to jail. Kenzie thought the sentences they would receive were well-deserved.
Her gaze went to Reese, who stood at the wet bar opening a bottle of vintage Cristal champagne. She wasn’t exactly sure of the occasion. Maybe just that both of them were still alive.
He carried the champagne over, filled two crystal flutes, and set the bottle in the silver ice bucket on the coffee table.
“What are we celebrating?” Kenzie asked as he touched his glass to hers and took a drink.
“Actually, I’m just trying to work up the courage to say what I’ve been wanting to say for a while now.”
Her stomach curled. After the incident with Troy in the office, Reese had said he loved her. She knew he cared for her. He had proven it again and again. But there were different kinds of love.
From the start, she had been waiting for the time he would end things, try to return the relationship merely to friendship. As he had always done with the women he dated.
She took a big sip of champagne. Maybe that time had come.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
He looked nervous. Reese was never nervous. Her stomach tightened into a knot.
He took a drink of champagne. “After the way I kissed you at the office, the gossip is going to spread like wildfire.”
Her heart squeezed. She took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself. “You’re right, it is.”
“There’s a way we can fix that.”
Her eyes burned, filled with tears. She loved him. She would make it easy for him. “What do you want me to do?”
Shock hit her as he went down on one knee in front of the sofa, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a blue velvet box.
“I want you to marry me. I love you, Kenzie. With everything inside me.” He opened the box and a diamond solitaire sparkled in the lamplight. “I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. I never will again. Say you’ll marry me and I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
