With a long-suffering sigh, Riddick took his time getting out of the car and approaching. When he reached them, he handed Nikolai a small black box and said, “If you ever snap your fingers at me like a dog again, I’ll break you in half.” Then he was gone.
With a grimace and a muttered curse, Nikolai dropped to his knees in front of her. As he opened the box, he said, “This was my mother’s—the only thing of hers I was able to hide and keep when I was sent to the orphanage back in Russia. But if you don’t like it, I’ll get you whatever you want. Will you marry me, Violet?”
It was a beautiful, cushion-cut, diamond solitaire set in platinum. It was everything she could ever want in a piece of jewelry, but if it came down to it, she’d wear a plastic ring from a gumball machine if Nikolai gave it to her.
Then, a horrible thought occurred to her. “You aren’t high on pain meds, are you?”
He laughed. “No. But if you don’t say yes or no soon, I’m going to need some.”
She set the dog down at her feet, then dropped to her knees in front of Nikolai, staring into his beautiful, warm green eyes. Then she leaned in, kissed him with everything she had, and rested her forehead against his. “Yes. Nothing would make me happier.”
He cupped her face and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, kotehok. I can’t take it.”
“I’m crying because everything is perfect. You’re perfect.”
“Not exactly perfect. I’m pretty sure I can’t get up.”
Now she was crying and laughing as she helped him to his feet, then snuggled into his chest gently.
Just then, the dog let out a bark that sounded like a witch’s cackle. A witch who smoked several packs of cigarettes a day.
“Jesus,” she heard Benny mutter. “What the fuck kind of bark was that? Sounds like someone choking a goat.”
“Don’t blame me. I told him to adopt the Lab mix,” Harper said.
Violet glanced down and was greeted with the furious wagging of the dog’s little stub tail. Obviously she was protesting not being the center of attention anymore. She scooped her up and kissed her on top of her head. “Quirky, you say?” she teased Nikolai.
He shrugged. “I can handle it if you can.”
Violet grinned. “I can handle anything as long as I’m with you.”
He bent down and kissed her gently. “Thank God. Because I’m not going anywhere. You believe me, yes?”
She kissed him back. “Of course. I trust you.”
“Aw,” they heard Harper coo as Seven and Lucas clapped. “Don’t you just love a happy ending?”
Violet had never really believed in them before. But now?
“Yes,” she murmured against Nikolai’s lips. “I do.”
The End
What’s next, you ask? Well, how about you tell me? I have TONS of work in progress. Wanna see a regular contemporary romance? I have one brewing. More paranormal? Got that, too. A spin-off of the Harper Hall series? Could be done pretty easily. Some Harper Hall novellas? Something else entirely? I’m open to suggestions. Y’all tell me what you want next, and you’ll get it. I’m a giver that way. Email me and let me know your preference: [email protected]. The rest of my stalker links are on the next page (just so you don’t miss anything!)
A personal note from Isabel:
If you enjoyed this book, first of all, thanks! It would mean a lot to me if you would take a moment and show your support of indie authors (like me) by leaving a review. Your reviews are a very important part of helping readers discover new books.
Want to know more about me, or when the next book release is? You can email me directly at: [email protected]. Also feel free to stalk me on:
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/isabel-jordan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SemiCharmedAuthor
Private readers’ group (Bitch, write faster):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/846416382191567/
Twitter:@izzyjord
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Website: http://www.izzyjo.com/
Sign up for updates on all things Isabel Jordan at: http://www.izzyjo.com/sign-up.html
Thanks so much, and happy reading!
About the author
The normal:
Isabel Jordan writes because it's the only profession that allows her to express her natural sarcasm and not be fired. She is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. Isabel lives in the U.S. with her husband, ten-year-old son, a senile beagle, a neurotic shepherd mix, and a ginormous Great Dane mix.
The weird:
Now that the normal stuff is out of the way, here's some weird-but-true facts that would never come up in polite conversation. Isabel Jordan:
1. Is terrified of butterflies (don't judge … it's a real phobia called lepidopterophobia)
2. Is a lover of all things ironic (hence the butterfly on the cover of Semi-Charmed)
3. Is obsessed with Supernatural, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, The 100, Once Upon a Time, and Dog Whisperer.
4. Hates coffee. Drinks a Diet Mountain Dew every morning.
5. Will argue to the death that Pretty in Pink ended all wrong. (Seriously, she ends up with the guy who was embarrassed to be seen with her and not the nice guy who loved her all along? That would never fly in the world of romance novels.)
6. Would eat Mexican food every day if given the choice.
7. Reads two books a week in varied genres.
8. Refers to her Kindle as “the precious.”
9. Thinks puppy breath is one of the best smells in the world.
10. Is a social media idgit. (Her husband had to explain to her what the point of Twitter was. She's still a little fuzzy on what Instagram and Pinterest do.)
11. Kicks ass at Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
12. Stole her tagline idea (“weird and proud”) from her son. Her tagline idea was, “Never wrong, not quite right.” She liked her son's idea better.
13. Breaks one vacuum cleaner a year because she ignores standard maintenance procedures (Really, you're supposed to empty the canister every time you vacuum? Does that seem excessive to anyone else?)
14. Is still mad at the WB network for cancelling Angel in 2004.
15. Can’t find her way from her bed to her bathroom without her glasses, but refused eye surgery, even when someone else offered to pay. (They lost her at “eye flap”. Seriously, look it up. Scary stuff.)
Harper Hall Investigations Complete Series Page 98
