“Breaking News Tonight, more information about The YellowHand Syndicate. More arrests have been made in what has come to be known as the largest sex trafficking ring bust in the lower Midwest. The head of the ring, Joshua Langley, is apparently the owner and operator of one of the Midwest’s most prominent lawyer’s offices: Langley, Pierceson, and Dahl. The DOJ and the FBI have concluded that the lawyering office was none other than a legal front for the trafficking ring, helping to clean the money they obtained from the women they exploited.”
“Can’t believe I worked for that asshole,” Jasmine muttered beside me and Anna.
“Sh, I wanna hear this part,” King said as he held Char on his lap.
I tightened my grip around Anna’s waist as she sat between my legs, enraptured by the national news broadcast.
“Thanks to the stealth actions of the DOJ and the United States Government, the judges in the area are busy withbond hearings, since over forty arrests have occurred since the original bust inside of Redd Valley State Park. But so far, no one has qualified for bail. Joshua Langley and his corporate cohorts are set over the next month for their own bond hearings, but we have a feeling no one is going anywhere. As for the dissolution of the company, restitution is already being paid out to the victims of these horrendous crimes with much of the proceeds going to cleaning up the Redd Valley State Park. More on this as we receive information, I am Benjamin Wyatt.”
“And I’m Hannah Rockley.”
“And this is Breaking News Tonight. Have a good weekend everyone. We will see you all Monday evening.”
Someone turned the television off before Ariel spoke up. “Well, that’s some bullshit.”
Amanda fell apart in laughter as Jasmine spoke up. “I figured they would have mentioned you guys at least once or something.”
“I agree,” Char said as she turned to King. “You guys should have gotten some sort of?—”
“Oh my God!” Amanda exclaimed.
My arms automatically tightened around Anna. I was ready to pick her up and book it. But when I heard the women gasp and the men clapping, I felt my Anna-mine lean back into me.
I clocked Cap down on one knee in front of Ariel.
“Oh my gosh,” Ariel said breathlessly, cupping her hands over her mouth.
“Ariel,” Cap said as he knelt there with a fucking rock of a ring in that little velvet box, “I promised you the moment I met you that when we were safe, I’d show you how much I love you.”
Her eyes watered over. “David, what in the world?”
He took her left hand and plucked the ring from the box, sliding it up her finger. “I promised you that I’d show you that you would never have to walk this world alone again. That you’dnever wake up crying. That you’d never go to sleep again without someone holding you and being there for you. I made you a promise with my very soul that you’d have a home that would never be taken from you, no matter what happened.”
She sniffled. “Oh, David.”
“Marry me, Ariel,” he said as he stood, yanking her into his arms and practically hoisting her up his body so that they could be eye to eye. “Marry me, and let me spend the rest of my life showing you that I’m a man of my word.”
“Yes!” Amanda exclaimed.
All of us laughed as Wrecker kissed the back of her head.
“My God, yes,” Ariel said breathlessly before she crashed her lips to his.
I couldn’t help myself. I scooped Anna up into my arms, tossed her into the air a bit, and caught her as I whooped and hollered. All of us stood, one by one, kissing our women and clapping our hands at the fact that we finally had something good to rejoice over. I knew Cap for years. And for years, he swore off women. One night stands were the only thing for him. He said it for the entirety of the time I knew him.
Seeing him down on one knee gave me so many fucking ideas.
Watching Anna clap for them as I held her in my arms made me wonder… would marriage make her happy? I’d give her marriage if it would make her happy. I’d give her the fucking world on a silver platter if that was what she requested of me. She threaded her arm around my neck and turned that sunlit smile toward me, and it brightened my world as I eased us back down onto the couch. She maneuvered herself until she straddled my lap, her arms draped around my neck.
“Don’t get any ideas yet, Big Guy,” she murmured with a smile before kissing the tip of my nose. “I like how we are right now.”
My hands sank to her hips, squeezing softly. “Maybe someday?”
She smiled brightly. “Definitely someday.”
My heart took flight. “My little sunshine.”
She jutted her lower lip out. “What happened to ‘Anna-mine’? I like that one.”
