The Payback (Team Zulu 2)

34

Brandon

Istoodinfrontof the full-length mirror to adjust the gold pocket square, the only splash of color on my black-and-white tuxedo.

The bathroom door clicked open behind me. I spun, and my heart almost seized at the breathtaking beauty before me.

Sage’s long, dark tresses hung in loose waves well past her bare shoulders. The dress clung to every one of her delectable curves. My eyes roamed over her, from the plungingVneckline of the turquoise bodice and the enticing cleavage left exposed to the daring high split in the champagne-gold skirt that revealed a shapely, toned thigh.

“It’s so I can move freely.” Sage interrupted my inspection when I stared at her leg for too long. “And the material is stretchy, so I can head kick a motherfucker in this dress if I need to.” She eyed her gold satin heels. “Might even be able to pop an eyeball out with these babies.”

I frowned. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“So, what do you think?” The crystal beading sparkled under the lights as she spun in a slow circle.Stunning.The back of the dress dipped almost to her ass. How was I supposed to focus on our mission with her looking so tempting?

I moved toward her, then ran my fingertips along her collarbone and down her arm. “You’re a vision.”

Sage adjusted my bow tie before her seductive brown eyes met mine. “You scrub up all right yourself.”

I leaned down and kissed her gently. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” She held one palm to her chest. “I can feel my heart pounding inside my rib cage.”

I took her hand in mine. “It’s just anticipation of the unknown. Once we’re there, you’ll get into the game and forget about your nerves.”

She nodded, her lips pressed tight.

“I almost forgot.” I let go of her hand and headed for the side table. When I returned, I handed her a small blue Tiffany & Co. box.

“What’s this?” Sage asked, eyeing me with suspicion. She untied the white ribbon and opened it. “Wow. They’re beautiful.” The drop earrings each had a large pear-shaped aquamarine gemstone surrounded by dozens of small white diamonds. “How did you know these would go with my dress?” Sage hadn’t let me peek inside the garment bag because she’d wanted it to be a surprise.

“Sofia advised what color would complement your dress. She said choosing the shade would be easy. I just needed to find something to match my eyes.”

She shrugged while feeding one post through her lobe. “They’re a nice shade, I suppose.”

I smirked. “She also said it was your favorite color.”

“That woman talks too much.”

I fished a second item from my pocket. “There’s one more thing.” I got down on one knee and presented Sage with another small Tiffany’s box. It was almost impossible to hide my grin at Sage’s terrified stare.

“What are you doing?” she asked, although she couldn’t take her eyes from the ring when I popped the lid. The three-carat pear-shaped diamond surrounded by tiny aquamarine gemstones was the inverse of the earrings I’d just given her. “Stop this! Get up!” she snapped. “You’ve lost your goddamn mind!”

I shook my head, determined to see this through despite the injuries it would likely cause me. “Sage Allen, would you do me the honor of being my wife?” An awkward moment of silence passed before my lips twitched. “For tonight,” I added and let the smile spread. “The Bradys are married. We need rings.” I stood and dug the simple gold band from my pocket and slid it over my ring finger.

Sage’s face and neck turned an unsettling shade of red.Oh, shit. I might’ve underestimated the impact of my prank. She wound her fist back and punched me in the arm. Hard. “You’re such a douchebag.”

“Ouch!” I rubbed my bicep. Luckily, it was the uninjured one. “I guess I deserved that. Kind of surprised you didn’t toss me through the window when I took a knee.”

She folded her arms, glaring. “Thought about it, but it would be a shame to damage the ring. Your distraction techniques are going to get you murdered one of these days.”

I plucked Sage’s ring from the box, took hold of her slender hand, and slipped it on. “There we go. Perfect fit.”

“Is the jewelry on loan?” she asked while inspecting the diamond. “It must be worth a small fortune.”

“Actually, it was paid for by a shell company that invests heavily in quinoa farms. By the time they realize the funds are missing, Dante will be behind bars, and I’ll have seized control of their accounts.”

“It’s exquisite.” Sage continued to stare at the ring.

“You don’t have to wear it if it’s too much. I’m sure no one will question why you’re not wearing a ring.”

She clutched her hand to her chest. “I’m never giving it back.”

I smiled. “All right, then.” My phone chimed, and I checked the screen. “Our ride’s here. It’s time to go.”