“I’m not struggling with that. I’m struggling with the disappearance of bodies by Dakota and his team.” She studied his face. “Do you work with him?”
“I have. Going forward, I will always be upfront with you about that. I don’t ever want there to be secrets between us.”
She glanced around. They were alone. “Before I can give you my answer, I need to know something about Alpha and what kind of job you might do with him.”
As Sin confided his darkest secrets to her, she stared out at the cascading waters of the Potomac. When he finished, she faced him. “Thank you for trusting me.”
“Always.”
“While I had my suspicions, I’m still surprised.” After exhaling a long breath, she continued. “Even so, I’m confident I will love my career at Develin & Associates.” Her winsome smile sent excitement coursing through him. “Thank you for the job offer. I accept.”
With a smile, he pulled off his glove and extended his hand. “Welcome to the team.”
She removed hers and slid her warm hand into his. “It’ll be an honor to work for The Fixer,” she said, pulling him in for a kiss. “I’ll give my notice Monday.”
“So, while we’re making these major life changes, I’ve got one more question for you.”
“Okay.”
He pulled out the ring box and fixed his gaze on her.
“Oh, wow.”
“Evangeline Mae Worthington, I love you with everything I am. You are the best part of my life and I want to spend forever with you. I would be honored if you would be my wife. Will you marry me?” He opened the box.
After a beat, Evangeline dropped her gaze and gasped. The multi-carat, oval-cut diamond was surrounded by two halos of smaller stones. The inner halo boasted pink diamonds while the outer halo held the more traditional white ones that continued onto the shoulder of the band.
“I never thought of myself as the marrying kind, until you,” she said and captured his face in her hands. “And now, I can’t imagine life without you.” Her breathtaking smile made his heart soar. “Sinclair David Develin, Iwillmarry you and be your forever wife.” She kissed him over and over again, then released him.
He lifted out the engagement ring. “Do you like it?”
“Like it? All this jewelry is overwhelming.” She held out her left hand and he slipped it onto her ring finger. “It’s gorgeous…and extremely big, not to mention very, very sparkly.”
Together, they rose and she folded her arms around him. “I love you, Sinclair. The kind of love that is real and raw. I don’t want a fairy tale romance. I want exactly what we have.” Then, she kissed him with so much explosive passion. When the kiss ended, she said, “You own me, body and soul.”
“You own me, too. And you always will.”
Their embrace was filled with tenderness and love. He held her close and breathed her in. She smelled like home, a permanent place where he could build a life with someone he trusted. Someone who knew of his demons and his dark side, but loved him fiercely just the same.
“Let’s go tell your dad the big news.”
Her eyes grew large. “Mydad?”
“I asked him for your hand in marriage last month and he gave me his blessing.”
“Wow, you are full of surprises.”
“I respect him and wanted him to know my intentions.”
She kissed him. “I’m sure he appreciated that.”
“Ready to share our news with the world?”
“Sodamn ready.”
They pulled on their helmets, gloved up, and mounted the bike. It roared to life and Sinclair pulled onto the parkway. As the miles sped by under them, he realized it was time to stop running from his demons.Can I let go of the past?
Feeling free, he flew toward his future with his one true love. Together, they would face all obstacles and overcome them. “I love you, Evan,” he said into his mic.
