She knew Jaxson figured that out on his own. He was smart, plus a damn good detective. And one of her best friends who happened to read her very, very well.
But it was for the best.
Dane needed someone stronger in his life. Someone who could let things slide and choke back their words when his father and brother were being complete assholes. For Dane’s sake. For his mother’s.
She was not that kind of person. She still wanted to issue more slurring words in their direction for their callous remarks and behavior. Not for the things they said about Mia, but the way they treated Dane.
Okay, fine. Poor Champ and his health problems as a baby. But he was a grown-ass man now who made conscious decisions to cheat on women. To treat his brother like an asshole. To act like his shit didn’t stink. He wasn’t some helpless child who needed coddling. He was an adult who needed a good ass-kicking.
She was more than happy to apply for the job.
Since that wouldn’t be wise to beat his ass within an inch of his life, she did the only thing she could.
She had to let Dane go.
It had gutted her. To her very core. Right down to her soul.
It had been one long week of roaming her apartment, with visits from Jaxson and Mia, while they waited for the shooting investigation to be complete. Then another long week of working, of trying to get back into a normal routine.
She didn’t even want to see what next week would bring. More short tempers, little patience, and a lack of care for the disorganization going on. Who knew how long she’d act this way? She didn’t want to act like a pitiful woman like she was the scorned one. She wasn’t. She left him. But her battered heart felt like she was the victim. Like she’d never recover.
Well, the break up did bring one good thing in her life.
A distraction from the shooting.
Her mind had been on Dane more than it had been on the investigation. She didn’t like to think about the fact she had to shoot a man even though he had shot first.
She heard her front door open and close.
Odd.
She swore she had locked her door because she didn’t want anyone to bother her. She had wanted to wallow in her self-pity for the entire weekend, and by the end, maybe she’d be ready to get back to some sort of normalcy.
Her entire body jerked when Dane stepped into view. He looked handsome yet sad. His hair, although not long enough to mess up, stood slightly on its end, as if he had been running his hand through his hair a little too much. Deep shadows rimmed his brown eyes. Wrinkles manned his forehead as a severe frown marred his lips. But his clothes looked pristine, as always.
She stood up.
He continued to stare at her.
Neither said a word.
Then he held his hand out, palm up. Her apartment key rested in the middle. She knew she had locked her door. He let himself in. Her damn fault for not getting her key back. It had slipped her mind.
“Do you want it?”
She eyed the key, then glanced at him. No, she didn’t want it. She wanted him.
Instead of answering with the words that ached to escape, she stepped closer and took the key. That was about all she could answer with.
It felt warm in her palm. As sad and pathetic as it seemed, she squeezed the key tighter as if she could soak up the warmth from his touch. Pretend he was touching her and not the tiny key.
“I had a lot of different things I thought I’d say to you, but now…” he shrugged.
Now, what?
What sorts of things?
By his sudden silence, she didn’t think she’d be hearing any of it.
Of course, she wasn’t acting much better. Her silence was grating on her own nerves. But she couldn’t seem to find her voice. Because once she spoke, she might beg him not to leave. To give her one more chance. She didn’t deserve another chance.
“Jaxson said you lied to me. Let’s start there.” His jaw clenched, a few muscles ticking in his cheek.
She flinched. “When did you talk to Jaxson?”
“Answer my question first.”
She didn’t want to. Mostly because it wouldn’t help her already strung emotions.
“Gabriella—” he started to say as he took a step forward. But he stopped when she took a step back.
Enough was enough. She had to put her big girl panties on and tell him the truth—kind of. Then kick him out of her life once again before she broke down in tears.
“I haven’t lied to you.”
At least, not really. When she told him things wouldn’t work between them, she hadn’t lied. She didn’t things would work between them—unless they fought hard to make them work.
And he didn’t fight. He walked out instead. So, she didn’t fight either. She didn’t want to be the cause of even more tension between him and his father and brother. She made the best decision for both of them.
A slow grin emerged. “I didn’t think you did. You promised you wouldn’t.”
“You should go.”
Please stay.
“Okay. I’ll go.”
He still wasn’t going to fight. Damn her for putting all the fighting onto his shoulders. It was selfish, and she knew it. She should scream out that she loved him. That she missed him. That she wanted—needed—him in her life. For always.
Dane started to turn around, then stopped.
“Before I go, I thought I’d share that I quit.”
She frowned. “Quit…your job?”
An enigmatic smile popped up. Not just on his lips, but in his whiskey-colored eyes. “About an hour ago. Via email. I thought my dad would get a kick out of that. No notice, either. It felt liberating. He never cares how he treats me, so…” Dane shrugged. “I know I should take the higher ground and act like an adult, but I couldn’t help myself. Ms. Wallace is coming with me. The only employee on my payroll right now.”
“With you?”
He nodded, the excitement suddenly gleaming in his eyes. “I’m starting my own company. This beautiful woman once told me I would do amazing with my own company. I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and see if she’s right.”
A tentative smile slowly appeared. She couldn’t have stopped it if she tried. “She sounds super smart. I’m glad you took her advice.”
He took a step toward her. This time she didn’t take a step back.
“Yeah, she also told me—a lot of times,” he chuckled, “that I needed to not work so much. To have some fun.”
“Everyone needs downtime.” Her heart started to pound.
Another step forward.
“She made me see how much I was missing out on things.”
Another step.
“She showed me what love was.”
One more step. He stood so close, all he had to do was bend slightly to kiss her.
“And that I can’t live without that love.”
Whoa. Not at all what she was expecting.
Then he grabbed her hand that didn’t hold the key and interlocked his fingers with her. His lips touched hers. Softly, and oh so tenderly, she wanted to burst into tears.
She was so sick of crying, but she couldn’t help the intense emotion filling her up. Like a bathtub filling until the water hit the rim and well, where was the water supposed to go but over the side. That’s how she felt with her tears building.
“I love you, Gabriella. I love every fierce, strong, exciting thing about you.” His mouth stayed close to hers as he whispered with a yearning that had her heart beating even harder. “You said you don’t think things will work between us. Well, I call bullshit. The last two weeks have been two long weeks of hell. If things weren’t going to work, then it wouldn’t feel like my heart was ripped out of its chest and stomped on repeatedly.”
“But your father—”
“Can go to hell.”
Although her heart wanted to sing with delight and happiness, she couldn’t. “I won’t be the cause of more tension between you tw
o. He doesn’t like me.”
“He doesn’t like anyone unless they adore Champ. And you don’t cause anything. He does.” He squeezed her hand. “That supper wasn’t great. I know. I’m sorry he offended you. But it was the first supper that wasn’t as bad as they usually are.”
“Seriously?” Her brow slid up incredulously.
“Because you were by my side. You make things better. You make me better. You’re perfect for me, and I’m sorry I even walked away two weeks ago. I should’ve fought for us.” His expression turned stern. “But I’m fighting now.”
It’s as if he read her thoughts from earlier. As if he knew she needed him to fight for her.
She was always fighting. Fighting for the victims she met daily. Fighting for Mia—in all aspects of her life. Fighting to survive in a world that wasn’t always pretty. She was so tired of always being the one to fight.
But not today.
Not with Dane.
“Tell me you love me.”
Her lips twisted into an instant smile as she chuckled. “That sounded like a demand.”
A sly, sinful grin slid across his lips. “Please.”
Oh, how could she resist that?
She slid her hand that held the key into his pocket and dropped it.
“I love you, Dane.”
“That’s all I needed to hear.”
Then he kissed her. Hard and passionate. Letting loose all the other unspoken words he had filled in his heart. She heard them in every twist of his lips. From the stroke of his tongue. At the way he pulled her tighter into his embrace. She heard each and every delicate word of his love.
She might have gotten the wrong brother in her original mission, but it was the best mistake she ever made.
Epilogue
Two months later
“Yo, Brick, can you turn up the TV?” Jaxson yelled over the loud crowd filling The Corner Bar on a Saturday night.
Dane wanted to groan out loud and slap Jaxson on the back of the head.
Brick did the job for him—figuratively speaking. He sent a menacing glare, crossed his arms—something he often did—and stared at Jaxson until Jaxson caught on.
Perhaps that was the last time he confessed to Jaxson his plans. He knew he planned to propose to Gabriella tonight, but he didn’t want to have to fight for her attention if they turned the volume up to the baseball game. She sure loved her baseball, getting lost in a game quite easily.
Not that he minded most nights. She watched her baseball—he peeked a few times—while he worked relentlessly next to her on the couch.
It hadn’t been easy, but his company was coming along. New clients came easily. Probably because he wasn’t new to the game and people knew his name in the architect world. His father’s company was still doing well, but barely. Champ was somehow managing to keep it going with few hiccups. Tom, his old office manager, gave him updates since his father and brother haven’t spoken to him since he quit.
It didn’t bother him one bit. Except for the times he talked to his mother and knew how much the discord between them hurt her.
But Gabriella was his rock through it all. He knew he’d never want anyone else by his side but her. No matter the issue.
Which was why, even though they’d only been dating three months, he decided it was time to ask her to marry him. Why wait? He knew she was the one. And when he wanted something, he went for it.
He hadn’t meant to tell Jaxson and Brick, but a few nights ago, while they were waiting for Gabriella and Mia to arrive, it slipped out. Brick had a way about him where he always felt compelled to confess his deep, dark secrets. The man probably knew more about him than his brother. It was scary how one look had him spilling the oddest things.
While they both suggested he propose at home or even at a quiet restaurant, he thought Gabriella would like it more if her friends were in attendance. Her family.
His family.
These people who had only entered his life three short months ago felt more like his family than his real one. And yes, he wanted them here, too. He wanted their support, their happiness to surround both of them.
If only he could find the nerve to ask her.
Since they arrived an hour ago, all he’d been doing was twisting the tiny box in his pocket over and over, his heart pounding, sweating with intense nerves.
She might say no.
Just because they said I love yous and moved in together—her apartment—over a month ago, didn’t mean she’d say yes to marriage.
But he wouldn’t know if he didn’t try. Just like he never knew he could run his own company. Build it from scratch all on his own. Unless he tried. And he was knocking it out of the park.
That didn’t mean it was easy. He worked late nights on occasion. Sometimes even on the weekends.
Except he owned the company.
He worked from home. With the woman he loved by his side.
“Do it already,” Jaxson whispered.
He sat next to Jaxson with Gabriella on his other side so she couldn’t hear him whispering like a jackass. It’s as if he was trying to ruin the moment.
“She’s not going to say no. Just do it.” Jaxson rolled his eyes. “Please.”
That garnered a chuckle he couldn’t stop.
“You really want that TV turned up.” He couldn’t help but needle Jaxson a bit. Plus, it was working to settle his nerves a bit.
“It is a good game, and we’re winning.”
Suddenly the crowd erupted in cheers as their team hit it out of the park. Gabriella grabbed him by the shoulder and squealed excitedly.
“Five run lead. Take that.” Then she kissed him soundly on the lips.
“God, you’re so beautiful.” He wrapped his free hand around her neck and deepened the kiss.
He told her with each sweep of his tongue how much he loved her.
“Oh, you two, enough with the kissing.” Mia said it jokingly, yet Dane heard the underlying tension.
Oh, and that tension was usually there when Mia and Jaxson were in the same room together. They both said they talked about Jaxson’s confession. They both said they were going to remain friends.
They both royally lied and refused to admit it.
Dane slowed the kiss, then lessened his hold on Gabriella. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at Mia. He took the opportunity to pull the box out of his pocket.
He couldn’t keep delaying it. He was acting like a chickenshit and for no apparent reason. He knew it down to the bottom of his soul; she wouldn’t say no.
Because they were perfect for each other.
He set the box on the counter and opened it.
Gabriella shifted her attention back to him. Her eyes rounded in shock when she noticed the jewelry box and the large sparkling diamond sitting there.
Damn it.
That was all wrong. He should’ve gotten down on his knee.
Too late now.
“Will you marry me?” Then before she could dodge his question with her witty sarcasm. He added, “Please.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” She grasped his shirt into a fistful and pulled him closer. “Yes.” Her lips met his in a kiss once again.
“She said yes!” Brick shouted out to the bar as if the entire bar had known his secret all along. “Next round’s on me.”
The entire place roared with more cheers.
Dane would pay for the round, no matter what Brick said. But it was a nice gesture.
Thank goodness for good friends.
And for the beautiful woman in his arms. Life wouldn’t be as happy and carefree without her.
Looking for a fun romantic suspense with a hero that will make you swoon? I have the perfect book for you! Check out The Danger with Love.
Thanks for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear your feedback. Please leave a review.
♥ Much love, Amanda Siegrist
Also by Amanda Siegrist
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About the Author
I’m a USA Today Bestselling Author that loves to write sweet contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels, although I am partial to romantic suspense. Honestly, I love anything that has to do with romance. As long as there's a happy ending, I'm a happy camper. And insta-love…yes, please! I love baseball (Go Twins!) and creating awesome crafts. I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, working in that field for several years before I became a stay-at-home mom. I have a few more amazing stories in the works. If you would like to connect with me or see important news, head to my website at https://amandasiegrist.com. Thanks for reading!
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