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He dropped a kiss on the tip of my nose. “Marry me.”

I couldn’t hold back my squeal as I threw my arms around him. “I love you too. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

He gathered me against him tightly. “Good. Now let’s get the girls and get out of here.”

Chapter 38

GREYSON

I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could spirit Claire away without being stopped, but I still had to fight the urge to do just that.

As Rexford, Fairfax, and I had planned, I brought her to the drawing room. The moment Mrs. Beauchamp saw us, she understood that she’d miscalculated. Her gaze went to Rexford and Fairfax, who both had young women draped in their laps.

Rexford murmured something to his companion, and she rose with a pout. I don’t know what Fairfax said to the woman on his lap, but she laughed before going in search of someone else.

Rexford stood and made his way to Mrs. Beauchamp. He would be making it very clear to her that he had the means to shut her down. He also had enough sway over every lord present there tonight to persuade them to boycott her establishment.

While he was doing that, Fairfax joined us. “The girls?”

“They’re upstairs in one of the bedrooms.”

“They should be in the servants’ quarters. She wanted them to work in the kitchens until they were old enough for…” Claire’s voice faltered.

Fairfax nodded, his expression grim.

“The madame is fortunate, then. If they’d already harmed the girls, she’d pay dearly.”

I wanted her to pay anyway, but right now I needed to focus on getting Claire and the girls to safety. Revenge would wait for another day.

“Take Claire outside,” Fairfax said. “From the look on the madame’s face, it’s clear that you won’t be stopped. We’ll join you when we have the girls.”

Claire gripped Fairfax’s arm. “I told them I would keep them safe. Tell them I’m waiting for them outside.”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, tucking her close to my side. My jaw clenched at the way tension vibrated through her as I led her from the house.

When we reached the street, I removed my coat and draped it around her shoulders. She was barely breathing as she kept her gaze fixed on the front door.

Every second stretched into an eternity before, finally, Rexford and Fairfax exited the house, each with a little girl in their arms.

They were rubbing at their eyes, confused, but then they saw Claire. My friends placed the girls on their feet, and I watched them race to join Claire. My heart swelled as I watched her squat to gather them in her arms. A sob of relief escaped as she clutched them to her.

The older girl, Hope I believed, looked shyly up at me and then back at Claire. “Are we leaving?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m tired,” Grace said. “It’s been a long day.”

I laughed, relief flooding through me.

Fairfax clapped me on the shoulder. “We’ll stay here to make sure they don’t try to follow. Get them to safety.”

I nodded my thanks. I owed these men more than I could ever repay, but that was what made the Legends special. We would always be there for one another.

Claire stood, holding the hand of each sister. “Do you remember Mr. Grey?” she said.

They nodded silently.

“His true name is Lord Greyson, and he and I are to be married.”