“He came to the school last week asking me about enrollment.” She blinks a few times and shakes her head. Then she leans closer and whispers, “He gave me the creeps.”
I turn around to face Josh and position Brooklyn at my back. For all the shit hitting the fan right now, I feel her move in close to me and place her palm against my shoulder. Good. I need her on my side right now.
“I’ve been looking for you,” I say through gritted teeth, and he drops his arms and cocks his head to the side.
“Why didn’t you just call me, Dash?” His smile falls just a fraction as he looks beyond me to Victoria and Charlotte. “You know I’m always happy to help with whatever difficulties you’re having.”
That motherfucker has the balls to wink at Brooklyn before he slicks his dark hair back out of his face.
“I’m done playing with you, Josh.” I crack my knuckles and some of the color drains from his face. “As of a phone call this morning, I’ve got enough evidence of your embezzlement in the company bank account to send your ass to prison. I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you fucked around and messed with the woman I love.”
He spurts out a few words and then holds his hands up. “Let me explain.”
“There’s nothing left to explain. Not only were you skimming money off the top, but you created the fake profile to trick Brooklyn’s roommates into thinking I was still on the market. Geoff emailed me the information this morning from the dating app and their records. You didn’t even bother to cover it with a different email, you stupid fuck.”
His face is turning bright red now as he looks around the room. “You won’t get away with this. I’ll have my lawyers crawl up your ass.”
“You’ve gotten caught with your hand in the cookie jar. The feds are at your house right now. You’re finished, Josh. The trust is voided based on felony charges, and whether Brooklyn is pregnant or not, you’re out of the running.” I lean in a little closer and smile so big my teeth show. “You lose, cousin. The company is mine.”
Before he can say other word, there’s a sound to my right and I see Brooklyn’s father speaking softly to someone in a suit. The guy who must be security comes closer to us, but Josh takes off out the door before he can catch him. I ache to chase him down and beat his face into the driveway, but I don’t want to leave Brooklyn’s side. Not when she’s hurting and I still need to explain to her.
“You love me?” she whispers, and I turn around to hold her in my arms.
“I should have told you everything about that contract before it got this far.” My voice is solemn but firm. “But I fell so fucking hard and none of it mattered. I love you, Brooklyn. I loved you at first sight and went deeper with every second I spent with you.” I touch my thumb to her cheek and graze it along her soft skin. “When I said I’m yours, I meant it.”
“I love you too.” She bites her lip as she fights a smile and leans in to my touch.
“I will give everything up if you just say the word. I never wanted Josh to have the company, but I don’t want it either if it means you won’t be by my side.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I wrap my arms around to make sure and I look into her eyes. “Never?”
“Never.”
“Marry me.”
She stiffens in shock for half a second before she beams up at me. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not asking, I’m demanding. Love me forever, Brooklyn. Marry me and be mine.”
“Yes.”
She doesn’t get the word out fully before I’ve swept her up in my arms. I kiss her and she laughs as I spin her around.
The sharp sound of a throat clearing has me coming back to reality. I stop and stare at where Brooklyn’s father is standing next to Victoria and Charlotte, and they’re staring at us like we’re wild animals.
When I spoke with Brooklyn’s father, I told him my intentions of marrying his daughter. And while he was nice enough, the disinterest in his eyes made me realize that although I was trying my best, none of them would ever do the same for my Brooklyn. They don’t deserve her light or her kindness.
“I’m assuming Josh was an invited guest by one of you two?” I nod towards Victoria and Charlotte. They don’t deny it, so I nod, not needing confirmation. “I see how the news spread so quickly then.” I pull Brooklyn into my side as I look down at her and then back at the family that took her for granted. “You have all missed an opportunity in your life that you’ll never get back.”
Without another word I take my love with me and we leave the mansion just as more guests arrive.
My driver is ready by the car and opens the door as soon as he sees us. I carefully help Brooklyn into the back before I tell him to take us home and enclose us in the back.
“What did you mean back there?” she asks softly as I pull her into my lap.
“The part about loving you?” Her cheeks blush, and I lean in and kiss them.
“No, about them missing an opportunity?”
I stare at her and then cup her face in both my hands. “How do you not see how perfect you are?” I kiss her softly before I rest my forehead to hers. “They’ve missed an opportunity to have your light around them, Buttercup. They’ve missed the chance of a lifetime to be in your presence. You’re never going back to that house again, and you won’t be their punching bag. You are too fucking precious and they have no idea what they’ve squandered by letting you go.”
“Dash,”
