“Miss what?”
She tapped my shoulder, then pointed over it. I turned, only to find Jonas drop to one knee. Reece nudged me closer, but it was a monumental feat as my boots felt like they were encased in cement.
“What are you doing,” I whispered to him when I was a hairsbreadth away.
“If you would shut up for a second, he could tell you,” Reece interjected, causing me to look over my shoulder and stick my tongue out at her. Jonas cleared his throat, and I turned my full attention back to him.
He picked up my hand and I looked down into the face of the man I loved. A jolt of electricity passed through me as he softly rubbed my knuckles with his thumb. I was getting anxious, not sure if he was about to do what I thought he would. It’d been something I had dreamed about since I was a silly girl scribbling our names together in a notebook.
“I love you, Mackenzie,” he started, and I almost snickered as he called me by my full name. Not many did, and he certainly never had much before. I continued to smile down at him. “Our story began back during our senior year of high school. I’d be lying if I were to say it was love at first sight because we both know it wasn’t. You were the quiet girl that guys like me noticed, but rarely had the nerve to approach. Your strong character and sensitive nature called to me, and I suppose it was why I pursued you. I could’ve chosen someone else, but I picked you because my heart knew what my brain was too stupid to notice.”
I couldn’t believe he was openly talking about this, and a few things he said made me want to question him later, but not about his sincerity. I didn’t doubt he loved me, especially after getting everyone together like he had tonight. He’d just piqued my curiosity about something and finally strong enough to talk about and deal with that time, I intended to have it satisfied later. For now, I continued to listen as he talked.
“You were the one for me back then, and even though circumstances caused us to drift apart, the bond between us was never severed. You showed up in my life a decade later, and those same sparks flew once more. No matter how many times I tried to let you go, I couldn’t, and it’s because I love you. Could I live without you? Possibly, but that life isn’t one I even want to imagine. Just a few days away from you now is torture. A lifetime would be hell.”
“I feel the same—”
“I hope you do,” he interrupted, and I shut up so he could finish. “I have loved places and things in my lifetime, but I have never loved someone like I love you. I not only want you to stand beside me forever, but I need you to as well. We’ve talked about the success we both hope to have one day, and I realized money and power are one thing, but finding the one you’re meant to be with and building a life with them is so much more important. You and your family have shown me what truly matters. These men and women gathered here tonight are as close to me as blood, and I want them to bear witness to the man I’ve become because of you. You’ve changed me in ways I never imagined a woman could. These are just a few of the reasons why I kneel before you and take your hand in mine. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kenzie. Now put me out of my misery and tell me you’ll marry me.”
I laughed softly, and despite the tears now streaming down my cheeks, I nodded, then verbally responded for all to hear. “I’d be honored to be your wife.”
A large ring was slid onto my finger and the small crowd of people applauded. Jonas rose to his feet and pulled me against him. His mouth came down on mine and time stilled as he deepened the kiss. I clung to him, almost afraid to let go because I didn’t want to suddenly awaken to realize that this was all some whimsical dream.
“You two need to get a room,” Reece teased, and Jonas pulled away.
I turned to her, and as the Titans all lit cigars, I hugged my bestie. She’d pushed me back into his arms and despite the heartache I endured by letting him back into my life, it all was worth it for this moment. The other women joined Reece in congratulating me, and I was excited to get to know them all better. They were beautiful, sophisticated, and dubbed in society as the slayers of Titans. I supposed in a way, I could now say the same about myself.
I looked over at Jonas and he was smiling at me while carrying on a conversation with his friends. By the time he had gotten halfway through his cigar, he put it out and came back over to me. He went to nuzzle my neck, but I pulled away from him. “Answer me something,” I told him, and he arched a brow.
“Anything.”
“You said you chose me back in high school. What did you mean by that?”
He groaned, and I knew it was because he hated to dwell on that time. “Exactly what I said. If Kristopher had his way, I would’ve ended up seducing Shirley Weatherstone.”
“Isn’t that the girl who—”
“She’s the one Kris ended up with that year.” I giggled, then let out a sigh of relief as I realized the bullet I had dodged. I looked over at my nemesis and shook my head. He was so doting on Hayley, and if Jonas could mature, I supposed even he could. “I have one more question to ask.”
This time, Jonas was the one to sigh. “And that would be?”
I leaned up on my tiptoes and traced the shell of his ear with my tongue. I gave it a slight nip, then whispered, “When are you going to take me home and make love to me?”
“That,” he told me as he pulled away from me, “is never anything you even need to ask.” Jonas then turned to his friends. “Have a few rounds on me. I’m taking my fiancée home to celebrate.”
Afterward, he grabbed my hand and I nearly tripped over my feet as he dragged me toward the entrance. We didn’t even make it to the front door before he pinned me to the wall and kissed me. His hands roamed over nearly every inch of me before he groaned loudly. “I need you so damn much. I don’t know if I can make it home without touching you.”
I remembered the driver and smirked. “There’s a privacy curtain in the car that brought me here. He is waiting just out front and—”
Nothing else needed to be said as he quickly dragged me out of the club and over to the waiting car. He said a few words to the man, and by the time he turned around, my shirt was already off. It didn’t take long for me or Jonas to remove the necessary clothing before he thrust deep inside of me. It was desperate, raw, and despite the callousness in how he took me, there was a reverence there as well. He stayed inside of me until the vehicle pulled up outside of his penthouse. Even then, he finished getting me off before we exited the vehicle.
It hadn’t been snowing when we first got inside of it, but now large, puffy flakes fell upon us. Neither the cold nor the snow could cool down my desire for him. Jonas felt the same as was evident by the way he teased me all the way to his floor. Once we made it inside, everything slowed down for us and he made love to me all night long. I’d been so antsy waiting on Christmas, only to have it arrive it early. Everything I could’ve ever wanted was now in my arms and when he finally drifted off after bringing us to multiple orgasms, I lay there, running my fingers through his spiky, red hair. I did that for several minutes before lightly kissing his head. I soon followed his lead, and the only sounds audible in the room were the combined sounds of our breathing.