“You don’t surprise me at work as much as you used to,” I said.
He laughed. “Is that something you want?”
“I guess. I don’t know. You can be pretty distracting.”
“Truth is, I’ve been busy. You know we’re expanding.”
“Sure, Clifton’s been bringing in the suburbs. Better be careful though, those people don’t mess around.”
He waved a hand. “Suburb people are just as addicted as anyone else.”
I shrugged and took a bite of noodles. I watched him carefully and felt the same flutter of desire as his arms flexed and he leaned forward to grab a bottle of water off the table. Even after two years, he still knew how to drive me wild, and as his business expanded he still remained as insatiable as always. He worked twice as much and twice as hard, but that only meant he wanted to release stress twice as often—which I never once complained about.
He put his food down and leaned back in his chair. “You know, I came here for another reason.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded, eyes serious. I slurped up a noodle and put my container down, afraid of what he was about to say.
“It all started in here, didn’t it?”
I snorted. “I guess so. This is where you took me captive.”
“And look at you now. The little queen of the underworld.”
“Is that what they’re calling me now?”
“Not yet, but they will.”
“Beautiful. I love it.”
“Seriously, Leigh.” He leaned closer then got off his chair. “I’ve been thinking.” He got down onto one knee and stared at me. I stared back, heart racing, head a little dizzy. We’d talked about getting married for a while now, but it was never the right time—too busy at work, too much danger with other crews, a million different reasons.
But there he was on one knee.
“Thinking?”
“I love you. You and me? This is serious. This is the rest of my life, and I want to make that for real. I want to marry you.”
“I want that too.”
He took a black ring box from his pocket and flicked it open. Big diamond, white gold, princess cut. I sucked in a breath and reached for it. Simple and elegant—he must’ve had help picking it out.
“What do you think?”
“I love you.” I took the ring and he helped me slide it down my finger.
“You’ll marry me then?”
“Yes!” I laughed, feeling stupid. “Of course I will. God, yes, yes, yes.”
He pulled me against him and we kissed, kneeling on the ground in the back room of my shop, right where it all started, right where I had some of the worst moments of my life— and some of the best. More good than bad now, so many more good memories than bad ones.
This was our home, our base. And now we’d do it for real.
“Let’s go out tonight. I want to show you off.”
“Yeah?” I blushed a little. “Really?”
“I’ll take you to one of those Leone family clubs. Let them get a look at my girl and her ring.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Owain—”
“We’re doing this.” He took my hand and squeezed. “You and me, nobody else.”
“Yeah. You and me.”
He kissed me and I melted into him.
I had nowhere else to go, nowhere better to be.
This was home, this was love. And I couldn’t wait to get started.