This was either going to be a disaster, or it wouldn’t. She didn’t know until she forged ahead.
“I need a favor, Zach. A big favor.”
Her heart beat so hard she thought she might pass out. Her vision tunneled for a second. Be strong, Kay-Kay. You can do this. For Ana. For Bailey. For you.
“What’s that?”
Kayla closed her eyes. Her throat constricted. She forced them open again. Willed him to understand.
“I need you to marry me.”
Zach didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He was a mountain of hard muscle and he didn’t budge.
Didn’t say a word.
His eyebrows lifted, and her stomach went into free fall.
“What?”
Oh shit. Ohshitohshitohshit…
Kayla swallowed. She held out her hands, spread them wide. “I know. I know it’s crazy, and you no doubt want to tell me to get lost, but please hear me out—”
His frown nearly undid her. But he didn’t say anything so she continued. But what she said wasn’t the real truth, only part of it.
“Ana n-needs a dad. She needs medical insurance. I lay awake at night worrying about what I’d do if she ever got really sick. How would I afford the medical bills?” His eyes narrowed and she swallowed. Maybe she’d lost him but she tumbled on anyway. “I know this is asking a lot. I know it. But I’m doing all I can, working as hard as I can, and I still can’t keep her safe. I can’t rely on Bailey and Alexei forever. Alexei is great, but Ana isn’t entitled to his insurance. She can’t be his dependent.”
She hated that word, but that’s what the military called family members. Dependents. A dependent was someone very specific who was entitled to all the benefits the military provided. Free insurance, tax-free shopping privileges, bargain groceries, educational opportunities—the list went on. Bailey would be Alexei’s dependent when they married next month, but Kayla could never be. Neither could Ana.
Zach still didn’t say anything. She hadn’t expected him to. Not really.
His expression made it clear what he was thinking. He didn’t move. His body was a wall of hard muscle blocking the exit. Not that she was leaving yet. She couldn’t. Shame made her skin hot but she didn’t drop her gaze from his. She waited, knowing he was about to eviscerate her. Feeling like she deserved it and trying to plan her next move anyway.
“You’re asking me to marry you for my benefits.” Zach crossed his arms over his chest. Frowned down at her. She couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles popped beneath his shirt sleeves. So strong and sexy. Those arms had held her close once, folded her to his chest and made her feel safe and protected. “As touching as this proposal is, I’m going to have to refuse.”
Kayla’s throat tightened. Her belly went into free fall. “I understand.”
He snorted. It was a sound of disgust. “Then why did you ask? What the fuck, Kayla? You’ve barely talked to me in two months, and now you want me to marry you? What the actual fuck?”
Tears threatened. She wouldn’t let them fall, though. She didn’t have time to cry. Kayla tipped her chin up even though she trembled inside. “You’re safe, Zach. Stable. It wouldn’t have to be forever. You could still date other women. Ana and I could live upstairs, and you could do what you’ve always done—”
The fury in his expression stopped her. He closed the distance between them, put his face into hers. She could feel the heat of his anger rippling off him. If she touched him, would it burn?
“Are you fucking kidding me? You want to get married for my benefits and then you want to keep seeing other people?”
She spun away from him, the anger on his face too much for her. The disappointment.
He loves someone else….
She didn’t want him to date other women. That was a lie. But she’d felt like it was something she ought to say. Something to sweeten the deal.
“I didn’t say I wanted to see other people. I just want to provide for Ana and not have to worry if I can afford her next checkup, or an emergency room trip. Military insurance is free. And I’d pay for anything else she needed. I want stability for a change!”
The emotion of the situation got to her. The desperation of all she was feeling. She put her head in her hands. Shook it. Everything had sounded reasonable in her brain, but now it sounded like the worst kind of gold-digging. Except instead of money, she wanted his military benefits. Not much difference, she supposed. No wonder he was pissed.
She’d spent her life without stability. She didn’t want that for her child. She hadn’t realized how precarious her life—and Ana’s by extension—still was until she’d gotten that phone call. She hadn’t done anything that would prompt child protective services to take Ana away, but the suggestion had rattled her. Badly.
“Sorry, Kayla, but no. I’ll give you money if you need it, but I’m not marrying you. And I’m definitely not living like roommates instead of a married couple. Do you have any idea what Camel would do to me if I married you and kept dating other women?”
She shook her head.
Zach continued. “He’s a sniper. A damned good one. And while I don’t think he’d shoot my ass, he might. At best, we’d have to stop working together because he wouldn’t trust me anymore. The team would fall apart and one of us would need to be replaced. Probably me since the rest of them would think I was a douche for cheating on you.”
Kayla’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right. I know you are. I just
