“Your stepfather died. I have no one,” she says anyway.
Everything in me recoils, and I want to vomit. “He’s not my fucking stepfather, and you’re nothing more than the woman who carried me. Don’t fucking contact me again.”
“But Atticus, I am being evicted. I have nowhere to go,” she pleads, and she looks fucking awful.
But I have no sympathy left. I hate her.
“Not my fucking problem.”
She lunges at me, trying to grab my shirt. I jump back, not wanting her to even touch me.
Archangel gets between us, shoving her, sending her stumbling back. “Get the fuck away from him.”
“That’s assault!” she screams.
“I think the cameras will say different, but if you want to contact my lawyer, you can.” He gets out his wallet and throws a card at her. It might be the hottest ‘grew up rich’ thing he’sever done. “Now fucking leave before I have you arrested for trespassing.”
Archangel puts his hand on my lower back, and helps me inside, makes sure the door is locked, then wraps his arms around me. I lean into him.
“Why can’t she just leave me alone?”
“I don’t know.”
He holds me for a while, letting me lose it. He doesn’t try to pull away or even question how much time I need. He helps me get my nervous system regulated and my heart rate down like he used to. How did I not know I was in love with him all this time? It still blows me away.
I get it together and we go back to the party.
Mark comes over and orders shots, which completely surprises me. “We have to drink to your engagement.”
“Where’s my sister?” Archangel asks.
Mark shrugs. “She’s not real happy with me.”
Archangel and I side-eye each other, but Mark doesn’t offer any more information.
“Wait,” Archangel stops us before we can take the shot. “Did you get your ring too? You said they were matching.”
“I did.”
He holds out his hand.
I reach into my inner jacket pocket and get the box. “Why?”
“I want you to wear it too.”
“Are you going to ask me?” I smile, setting the box in his palm.
“Should I get down on my knee?”
“No, I just want to hear you say it.” A part of me wants to know he wants this as badly as I do.
His cheeks pull and his dimples come out, and there is no hesitation.“Will you do me the honor of being my husband?” Archangel holds out the ring.
The way my heart reacts to his words. I lift my hand, allowing him to slide the ring home.
He’s my home.
I grab his face, needing to kiss him.
