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“Yeah? And his cock is probably ten fucking times bigger than both of yours.” Akara and Banks try not to laugh, and then Banks says, “No way in hell.” She goes still and glances down at their crotches. I can’t blame her.
Her pussy. Her hips. Love handles. Stretchmarks. Ass. Freckles. Cheeks. Legs. Arms. Hands. Breasts. Nipples. Curve of her neck. Brain.
I can’t apologize for falling in love with her. I can’t call what happened a mistake. Gun to my head, I’d repeat every moment so I’d have the boldest, smartest girl next to me—a girl I shouldn’t have. But she’s mine, and I might not deserve her but I swear to God, I’ll never harm her, and I’d give my life to protect her. I know I’m not a prince. I’m not a king. But I’d treat Jane like she should be treated. She’s my princess, my angel, and my queen. Every morning and every night. I’d kneel at her feet and stand by her side.
Love is more. It’s the days I wake up, feeling a need, an urgency to protect her. Not just her body but her spirit—her entire soul. It’s the days I imagine losing her, and I’m met with a bottomless empty, nothing there but hollow numbness. Worse than death. It’s the days I yearn for her laugh, for her companionship, and thoughts. It’s every day she makes me feel worthy of her and this life. All of it and more.
“Sulli is homesick.”
“She can’t call her dad or mom here, and it’s been getting to her.”
“She’s urgent.” Akara ranks her.
“He can’t go. If he wants to complain, he can complain to the nearest wall.”
Yeah, Akara sounds jealous.
Farrow is on his feet, heat in his eyes, and I tower and have a hand on his chest so he won’t near Charlie. Because in my head, Charlie isn’t just a client. He’s Jane’s brother. Protect him too, but he makes it hard. “He’s been a saint to you,” Farrow sneers. “You couldn’t let him have one fucking second of peace—”
Beckett glances back at me before he disappears, an apology in his eyes. And I know he’s trying to give one for Charlie.
“How about now?” Akara asks. “You’re clear.” He starts venting about the Rooster, and I think I mishear Akara.
“You’re really gonna keep telling me you’re not attracted to Sulli?”
“Your dick gets hard for your sister?”
“You’re the one freezing your nuts off for sister-fucking jokes.”
“No. Your husband wasn’t even carrying blankets. He just wanted to worm his way up here like he always does.”
“Maybe he misses me,”
“You saw him five minutes ago,” my mom retorts like her younger sister is losing her mind.
“You’ve enjoyed planning their wedding.”
“You do know that I planned Lily’s wedding, and I despised every second of it.”
So I’m a bit of both. My mom and my dad.
“I’m scared to love him, but God, I do. So infinitely and terribly.”
“You’re not two halves, Jane. You don’t lose when you love. You gain.” She draws closer to whisper, “You have all of him.”
“I need you. I need you like the air I breathe, and I want you like ground beneath my feet. I’m not afraid—I’m not afraid, not even a little. You are the man who has respected all of who I am and protected every little piece of me.”
“You keep me whole,” I profess. “And love—that dreaded, beautiful word—love.” I breathe, “Love is two wholes. We are two-hundred percent—an illogical number, maddening, and I will forever embrace every illogical, maddening second with you.”
“I love you, I love you, I love you.” It pours out of me. “Je’taime, je’taime, je’taime.”
“Jane.” My name is cast in love.
“Mr. Moretti, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”
“I’m asking you to marry me,”
Rose frowned. “Of course we trust Price, but that does not mean we’d put him above you. I’m sorry if your dad and I made you feel like we would.” She held her daughter’s hands. “We will always choose you first. You’re my blood and bones.”
“I’ve always dreamed to one day be there for Moffy the way that my mom was there for her sister. I plan to extend the offer now that he’s with Farrow. I’d love nothing more than to do this for them…you
I can wait decades, but I’d love nothing more than to call Jane my wife. I’d marry her tomorrow if I could.
mouth. I’m going to marry her sooner. Maximoff and Farrow gave that to Jane because they love her.
“I belong here,” I say again, “because I love deeply and I’m learning to feel deeply too, and I make no apologies for who I am.”
“And at the end of the day, the people I care about are the ones I would die for. No questions asked. I’m standing at the battle line.” Say more. Say what you feel, and I just go. “You’re a family of warriors—I’m a warrior too. We just have different weapons. You use words. I use a gun. And ever since I was a young kid, I wanted to be that Spartan hero for someone. I belong here. Not anywhere else.”
If my life means anything, let it mean this: I tried with my whole soul to protect the ones who couldn’t protect themselves, and I loved while I was here. I will always love my brother. And Jane—I will always, always love Jane. Death can’t take that from me.
“I’ve fallen madly in love with you.”
“And the you that I know is all unwavering strength and resilience and South Philly grit—and every day, you risk your life for me and for other people who need your strength and resilience and grit.”
“Your entire life is built on service to others. I don’t want different. I don’t need different. I need you exactly as you are, just as you’ve loved me as exactly as I am.”
Akara was always a better leader than me. He still is, and to lose him is to lose the best authority the team has ever seen.
“Tony can’t be a lead if there’s no Force to lead.”
“You’re Jane’s bodyguard.” It slams into me. I can protect my wife. That’s what she’ll be. My wife.
“You’re going to be my wife. I promise you that.”
“I love you, I love you, I love you, and let me tell you how terribly and tremendously I do.” I listen to Jane ramble quickly and slowly about her love for me,
soothed, and my hand lost in her frizzed hair. I can live inside hell, but for the first time, I’ve finally reached heaven—and I’m happy and I’m staying. I’m staying. To build a life and future and family. Right here, with Jane Eleanor Cobalt. For forever.
