Chapter 29
“Billions?” she frowned as if it were a revolting thought.
He laughed at her disgust, “I’m exceptionally good at my job. It’s why Keshaun was the employee, and I am the boss.” He watched her lips twist at his words. “You’ll never have to worry about Bram’s security.”
She grimaced, “we had a plan.”
“Plans can adjust.” He was wearing her down.
“I can’t make decisions for him.”
“He won’t say no. I heard the way he talked about his school. He hates it there as much as Precious hates
hers.”
“You need to fix her issues with the school.” She said her eyes rapidly moving to his.
He grinned at her mama-bear tendencies. “Yes ma’am. I will take care of it.”
“You better.”
“You’re going to be amazing for her.” He tugged her closer and rested one of his hands against her hip. “Say yes, Famke.”
“What exactly do you want me saying yes to,” she rested her palms to his chest.
He found himself wondering what it would feel like to have her hands touching him without his shirt in the way. Her eyes were a paler shade of brown than his own, but they were deep nonetheless, and they betrayed her every emotion, She was probably the world’s shittiest poker player.
She was as aware of him as a man as he was to her as a woman. He’d spent days after their interaction in
the bathroom when he’d walked in on her in her bra, ruminating over her body. Her tongue darted to her lip, and he wanted to put his own there to taste the red wine on her palate. He felt his cock twitch. He had been aware of her from the first minute he’d seen her. It had taken a while for him to accept he wanted her but in his kitchen, with the wine and the quiet of the house, it was sweltering between them.
He was worried though his next requests were going to make her run screaming from the house and he would never get to taste her lips the way of which he’d been dreaming.
“Well, I want you to move in here.” He let the words linger in the air between them. He watched the shock flitter across her face as she struggled to comprehend what he was offering. Her next words told him he didn’t explain it well enough.
“For how long? Until she’s in middle school, high school, college? What is the plan?”
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He blinked at the angriness behind her words. She thought he was asking her to give up her life for temporary access to the little girl. It was the last thing he wanted. “For the rest of her life.”
She grimaced, “pretty sure your girlfriend will not approve of me living in your house.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” Why did she keep bringing this up? He was sure he’d bluntly said he’d ended things with Ambrosia.
“But you’re not exactly the kind of man who lives a celibate life, Royal. You might not have a girlfriend now, but you will. What happens when you want to get married? How will a wife feel about me being here?” Her eyelashes flicked downward as she avoided his gaze.
Jealous. He realized it immediately. She was feeling jealous even though she wasn’t voicing it. He wanted to laugh and rejoice.
“I don’t know. How will you feel about living here?” He watched as the words settled into her brain, realization turning her pale. He started to second guess the jealous thing as she clearly appeared appalled at what she was putting together in her head.
“What?”
“Famke, I’m not asking you to move in here and be my roommate.” He felt her tense under his grip, but he wasn’t letting her go yet. “I want you to move in here and literally be her aunt.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I want you to marry me.”
Her mouth opened as she frowned at him in confusion. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Marry me.” When she blanched to the point he wondered if she could turn translucent, he frowned, “you look like you’re going to pass out.”
“I think I might,” she whispered as she stumbled in an attempt to escape his grasp. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m profoundly serious. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for my brother and there is nothing I won’t do for my niece. She needs a stable family and home life. The more I find out, the more I know her parents failed her in this regard, and I need to do right by her. I know you love her. As her mother, Famke, there is nothing I won’t do for you either. I know it’s not what you allowed yourself to dream of but I’m offering it to you on a platter. Marry me. We’ll give Precious the happily ever after she deserves after all the horror she’s been through recently.”
He felt his heart racing as he studied her stricken expression and waited for her response.
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