Tackling Tobias (Big Sky Universe)

“That all sounds grim.”

“I’ll kill that bastard first,” Tobias bites out.

“Well, now that he’s found me, I guess there’s no point in waiting to inform the world about my whereabouts, but I’d like to do it after the will is created.”

“That’s fine. Do you have a lawyer in mind, or would you like my firm to draft one?”

“I don’t know how expensive you are.”

“Don’t worry about cost. I want you protected at all costs,” Tobias says. “Bill, just send me the invoice.”

“I have my laptop with me, so we can get you protected as soon as possible. Can you print the documents I need out?” he asks Tobias.

“Sure.” We draft it up and I leave everything to Marisa in the event I die. Of course that will change later, but it leaves a neutral party in charge of my future estate. “I don’t want to make this public at all.”

“Understood. I need to file these with the courts in the morning, but you should be good to go.”

“Thank you.” Tobias walks him out and I sit in his office, feeling like maybe I should have asked him if he wanted to be my beneficiary.

“What’s on your mind, babe?” I look up at him. “Are you upset that I didn’t add you on there as a beneficiary?”

“Hell, no. I’m wealthy in my own right, but it’s smart of you. I don’t want you to have any doubts in your head that I don’t want forever with you. I love you, Ava. I might have all the money I made playing football along with the endorsements and well, my investments with Landon that put me closer to a hundred million, but none of that matters. I want you to feel safe. If later you want to change it to give it to our children, then so be it.”

“Our children?” I ask, trying to ignore that he said he’s worth so much money.

“I told you I loved you. I’m going to one day, when you’re ready, fill your belly with little versions of us.” He kisses me softly until I’m moaning in his arms.

“So you’re not ready to toss me on my rear in three months?”

“Why would I want to throw away the one person I know I can’t live without?”

“Do you really mean it?” He lifts me off his lap and then walks across the room to a picture and moves it just like in the movies to reveal a safe. After a moment, he comes back and drops to one knee.

“I know it’s soon. I know you’re just getting away from a bad situation, but I love you and I mean it when I say you’re the only one I’ll want for the rest of my days. From the first moment you splattered spaghetti sauce all over me, I knew you were the one I wanted to marry. Please marry me.” He opens the box to reveal a large diamond surrounded with tiny pink stones around the sides of the band.

“I don’t know…how this happened, but I can’t live without you either,” I manage to say without stuttering.

“Well, woman, is that a yes?” He looks so damn vulnerable, and I’m still so shocked that I forgot to say an actual yes.

“Yes. Of course. Yes.” I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him repeatedly. We’ve been together less than a month, but I’m sure of our love for each other. I’m sure that he’s the one I’ll need for the rest of our lives.

The next morning while Tobias is out to work and I’m washing the dishes from the breakfast I just made, my doorbell rings. I didn’t hear the gate and the security won’t let anyone in if they’re not approved. I walk to the door, and it’s Louisa. “Hey. I didn’t expect to see you today. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Are you watching television?”

“No. I don’t really watch television. Why? What’s going on?” She takes me into the living room to sit down on the sofa. “You’re freaking me out. What’s going on?

“Sorry. I just wanted to get this out there before you see it. Well, you know that shitty thing I mentioned about the rumors? I don’t want to freak you out, but she’s on TMZ telling everyone that she’s having Tobias’s baby, and that he threw her out pregnant and moved on with another woman. The pictures that your father sent of you two outside the restaurant are plastered over the news.” She rattles this all off in such a hurry that it takes me a minute to process what she’s saying.

“Oh my God. Are you fucking serious?”

“Yes and they leaked it that you didn’t run away from home. You went to trap you a man, having met Tobias through his sister. It’s crazy, and I’m just making sure you’re okay.” I’m holding the tears back even though I want to cry and punch that crazy bitch in the face.