by Haley Weir
“We decided to make a jailbreak and come to see you.”
Corey rolled his eyes at Sapphire and fanned his red cheeks. “I couldn’t sit in that room any longer. Apparently, it’s not a good idea to throw your body at a brick wall. The doctor's advice was to avoid doing so in the future.”
Sapphire popped up on her tippy toes to press a kiss to her husband’s cheek. “I told Dr. Obvious that you were a better doctor, sweetie. So, if someone spits in your coffee, you know who did it.”
Anders’ impatience was palpable as he stepped out of the room. Destiny looked at her brother and shook her head. “I can’t believe you condoned such rebellious behavior. Brock might get jealous if you intend to steal his best friend.”
“That big boob is not my best friend,” Sapphire insisted. “Not after he left town and didn’t even say goodbye. I blame you because of that too, by the way. I’m not letting you two off the hook that easy. And now that the bookshop is gone, I’ll need a new place to get my books from now on.”
“I don’t have the money to rebuild. But...maybe it’s time to move on. I mean, we didn’t really talk about the books at book club anyway.” Destiny tried to look on the bright side. “Between the three of us, I’m sure Brock, Corey, and I could come up with enough money to get a place together.”
“No offense,” Corey began. “But I would prefer if my room wasn’t anywhere near the two of you. I don’t want to hear my friend defile my little sister.” He shuddered dramatically and Destiny couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of her.
“Don’t worry. We’ll make sure the walls are thick.” She looked over to see Sapphire wiping tears from the corner of her eyes. “What’s the matter, Saph?”
“I’m happy to hear you talking about your future with Brock.”
“I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Of course I’m thinking of the future.”
Destiny handed Destiny her cellphone, the one she had forgotten in the back of Dorian’s car after her meeting with Logan in the woods. She unlocked it and clicked the new notification that popped up.
DESTINY, congratulations! Your match has agreed to another date. BROCK will meet you at the ANNUAL HADEN SPRINGS GARDEN PARTY at 8 PM in exactly one week’s time. Wear a red dress to help your date recognize you amongst the throng of guests at the party.
She dropped her phone to the blanket and covered her face as she cried. Though she had no home and no job, Destiny hadn’t felt this happy since the last time she woke up beside her mate. “When did this come?”
“This morning,” Sapphire said shyly. “I wanted to tell you, but the whole fire thing got in the way. You should probably come up with a better password, too.”
“Why?”
“Because people might want to know the reason ‘King’ is your password.”
Destiny’s face colored a shade brighter than Sapphire’s and Corey’s. “That’s private. But I have to ask...how do you know the reason?”
“Please,” Sapphire snorted. “You and Brock aren’t the only kinky couple in Haden Springs. It’s a small tow, hon. Everyone has ways of entertaining themselves.”
Corey looked sickly as he wheeled himself over to the side of her bed. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to be seen in public after the fire? This was a hit from Logan. Making it known that you survived might cause him to attack again.”
“Nothing we do will stop him anyway,” she said rationally. “He’s desperate now. If he fails, my father will kill him. If he does anything else to endanger the people of Haden Springs, then Michael will kill him.”
“You put a lot of faith in that bear.”
“Why no?” Destiny asked. “Since the beginning, he’s been the only person capable of matching our father. For all we know, Michael might already have a plan to put a stop to this mess before it gets out of control again.”
“So, you’re going to the party?”
“Of course.” Her heartbeat sped up just thinking about it. “I have to tell my mate that I love him. If I don’t go, then Logan wins and I can’t have that.”
Corey regarded her for a few seconds. “I’m proud of you, Des. You’ve come a long way.”
“That...means a lot to me, Corey.”
Sapphire wiped a few more tears from her eyes and shouted, “I’m pregnant. God, I hate these hormones! I should pay someone to shoot my husband for doing this to me.”
Destiny and Corey laughed until their stomachs hurt and Sapphire was asked to leave the clinic for disturbing patients.
Chapter Twenty
Brock checked his watch three times in under a minute. There was still five minutes until the doors closed and the party began, but he was nervous. He looked down at his suit and hoped she liked it. The price had been shocking. Turns out you need to sell a few limbs to get a suit made in bear sizes, Brock thought to himself.
Dorian found his way over while Jenny prepared for her performance. He was grateful for his friend’s presence. “She’s not coming, is she?” Brock asked.
“Calm down,” Dorian chuckled. “I’ve never seen you act this way, man. Just chill, all right? Sapphire called in the car. Destiny is definitely coming. She even blackmailed Corey into showing up.”
“You must be thrilled.”
“Actually, a lot has happened since you’ve been away.”
“Like what?” Brock asked.
Dorian’s little smirk was a bit unsettling. “Like your mate convincing everyone to accept her psychopathic brother for the time being. She also set up a secret meeting with Logan that ended with her shooting him in the legs."
The door opened right at eight o’clock and Brock’s brain was pulled in all sorts of directions. He wanted to look over the crowd and see if Destiny was one of the last guests to arrive, but he also wanted to interrogate his friend about everything he had missed over the last two months. It was his heart that forced him to look toward the door. And just like that night on the roof, the sight of her took his breath away.
Destiny seemed to hover above the floor as she walked through the other partygoers. Her shoes clicked and the light breeze caused a few strands of her dark hair to fall loosely around her face. He held his breath until those piercing hazel eyes met his stare. The world around them faded as an invisible magnet pulled them together.
“Beautiful,” he sighed accidentally. The breathless confession caused color to blossom on her cheeks. Brock reached out to touch her face but stopped himself short. Destiny, however, stepped forward and allowed his hand to graze the side of her face. He released another painful breath. Looking at her was like staring into the sun.
“I missed you,” she said.
“Nowhere near as much as I’ve missed you.” Brock wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her as close as their bodies would allow. Though she looked lovely in her red dress, he hated the fabric that hindered their connection. “I hear you’ve been causing a bit of grief while I’ve been away.”
She ducked her head bashfully and he kissed the blush on her neck. Destiny’s hand flew up to clutch his right bicep and Brock remembered just how much he missed her touch. “I did a lot of things while you were gone.”
“Want to tell me about them?” He began to sway to the sound of the music as Jenny crooned out masterful notes with her angelic voice.
“I’m sure he told you that I shot Logan.”
“Yes, he did. But I want to hear everything from you.”
Destiny lifted her other hand to lace her fingers around his neck. Brock didn’t mind that he had to bend down quite a bit to dance with her because it meant he could hold her longer. She nibbled her lip in a nervous gesture that had him dying to kiss her.
“I realized that you were right,” Destiny admitted. “I shouldn’t have used you the way I did; I’m ashamed that I didn’t tell you everything sooner. I’m still not over my fear of fire, but I understand that you’re job means a lot to you. I won’t get in the way of your work...just know that I will worry whe
never you leave.”
Brock hadn’t expected complete honesty, but he appreciated it nonetheless.
“I lost everything the moment you walked out the door and I didn’t acknowledge it until my shop burned down. As long as I have you, I can face anything. The situation with Logan is complicated. I told him everything that he wanted to hear until he told me my father’s location.” Destiny took a long moment to pause and he assumed that she was organizing her thoughts. “Michael is working on something and I needed to get him as much information as possible.”
“I’m trying not to rely on him so much, but even I can see that he’s our only hope of ending this,” Brock said sullenly. “What else?”
“After he told me that my father was in Alaska and that he’ll be here in a few months, I shot him for trying to kill you. Maybe I shouldn’t have done it, but he made me so angry. His mug little attitude didn’t help, either.”
Brock kissed Destiny’s forehead lovingly and listened to her story.
“Corey and I got closer,” she added. “He’s doing everything he can to help while making sure that I’m sane every day. I’ve been a mess without you.”
“I had a gross depression beard and a weird smell the entire time I was away.”
The smile that lit up her face was infectious. “Good. I didn’t want you to be happy while I cried every night. And I don’t care how selfish that sounds, either.”
“Honestly, once I hit the edge of town I didn’t care about our argument anymore. I wanted to run back to you right away, but I think we both needed that time apart no matter how much it hurt,” he stated. “Each one of your messages was like a stab to the heart. I wanted so badly to reply. Not a second went by that I didn’t miss your smile or your laugh. It was like all the joy had been sucked out of my life.”
“I felt the same. Everyone kept telling me that I needed to love myself and to hang on to the things about me that hadn’t been forced by my father, but I couldn’t stop thinking that I wanted to be the woman you see when you look at me.”
“You’re perfect.”
“No, I’m not,” she laughed. “But I want to be perfect for you.”
***
Brock fisted his hand in her hair and tilted her head back. He must have seen the lust in her eyes because he had her pinned to the ground before she could pull herself together. His lips grazed her throat and Destiny’s nails scraped down the length of his back. Brock’s chest rumbled as he thrust between her legs.
Destiny couldn’t help the pathetic little moan that slipped past her lips when she felt his tongue on her skin. She rocked her hips and Brock gripped her denim-clad rear with powerful hands, forcing her core against the rigid length of his erection. “Perfect,” he shuddered. “You’re so damn perfect. And you’re mine.”
Being near him again was driving her mad.
Destiny finally understood what Sapphire meant when she said her heartbeat matched the pulse of a hummingbird’s wings whenever Anders looked at her. There was no doubt in her mind that Brock Wasting was the sexiest man in the party. His silver eyes conjured up images of naughty encounters in dark corners. His sinfully delicious smirk toyed with her self-control. Her mate was so handsome that it frustrated her beyond belief.
Brock held her as though she were the most precious creation in existence. Destiny loved the way his scent wrapped around her while they dance. She moved her arms from his neck to his waist to give his back a break and to bury her face in his chest. The scent of his skin beneath the aftershave and smell of fresh soap caused her to let out a soft moan. His ears caught the sound and his grip tightened.
Destiny lifted her head to kiss the part of his neck that wasn’t covered by the dress shirt and tie. Her hands roamed the muscles of his back through the fabric of his jacket. Brock’s dance steps never faltered, but she was thrilled that her touch could still weaken him. It was comforting to know that she wasn’t the only one affected by their bond. “When you were...alone, did you think of me?”
He closed his eyes and groaned. “Every night.”
She tugged his hand toward the back of the party and gently pushed him into the wall. He leaned against the dark green wallpaper and her heart nearly stopped beating. It was like looking at a model in the middle of a photo shoot. A confident smile replaced the usual lopsided grin that she adored.
He devoured her with his gaze as she pushed her body flush against him. “Tell me all about it,” she purred into his ear. “Please, my King.” The emphasis on the last part was probably unnecessary, but Destiny loved the way his eyes darkened. She could sense the beast within him and she wasn’t afraid at all.
“I think we need to have a different conversation first. But know this,” he said as his leaned forward to nibble her earlobe. “You will be punished later for trying to tempt me in public when you know I can’t do anything about it.”
Destiny gaped at him. She felt as though he had pulled her puppet strings, for his commanding tone summoned her obedience to the forefront. Brock grabbed her hand and led her further away from the party than she had. The moment they were alone, she was overcome by the need to kiss him. And she knew her mate would not satisfy her thirst until she begged for it.
She let him lift her into his arms as he stole the air from her lungs with his kiss.
Destiny laced her fingers at the nape of his neck and deepened the kiss. Every part of her being begged to drown in him, knowing it would be a worthy end.
He tightened his hold, taking control until they were gasping for breath. She jumped out of his arms and look in her eyes told her exactly how their night would end. “Ready to beg yet, gorgeous?”
Chapter Twenty-one
Brock sat on the bench right outside the party and motioned for Destiny to follow. The way she obeyed his silent command made him want to tear the dress off of her body. Destiny’s raw sexuality and natural beauty were an aphrodisiac to him, but he had been serious when he said they had things to discuss. The future was still unknown and that terrified him to his core.
“I need to know where your head is at,” he uttered. “As far as our relationship goes, I mean. We’ve talked about what we did apart, but not about what we plan to do together. And not knowing is...hell, it scares me, Dezzy.”
"I thought about this a lot and I think I'm ready for everything." Destiny reached over and gripped his hand. "Our lives have been dictated by everything except our own choices. We aren't getting any younger and when I think of the future, I see us together. There's no other way for me."
"You are the love of my life.” Brock threw caution to the wind and prayed that it didn’t all come crashing down around him. “I’ve never felt so strongly about anyone. I might make mistakes and mess things up along the way, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Life is too short and I want what’s left of it to be ours.”
Destiny’s filled with tears that spilled over her long lashes before he was able to catch them with his thumb. “I want kids,” she announced. “I want beautiful silver-eyed babies with my laugh and your smile. And I think I would like very much to be your wife someday. It’s all I’ve dreamed about since I fell in love with you.”
Hearing Destiny speak of the life she wanted with him almost brought him to tears. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her in a way that he hadn’t before. It was slow and sensual, but patient and filled with all the love he held in his heart for her. Brock ran his fingers through her hair, pulling hit free of the pins and letting fall free. He wanted everyone in the party to know that he had kissed her when they returned.
Her nails prickled against the back of his neck and Brock swiped his tongue across hers. Destiny gasped, allowing him to claim her mouth thoroughly as she straddled his hips to better her balance—or at least that was what he thought she had been doing before she rocked her hips against him. Brock pulled away from the kiss in shock, but quickly recovered. He slammed his mouth over hers once again.
Destiny came up for air as Br
ock held her tightly. “Say it again.”
“Say what, love?” he asked.
“Tell me you love me.”
Brock stared into her beguiling eyes and whispered, “I love you.”
“Again, please.”
“I love you, Destiny Collier. And I want you to marry me.”
She leaned her forehead against his and Brock rubbed his hands up and down her arms to sooth the chill-bumps that covered her skin. “I love you too.”
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”
“When did you know?” his sweet mate asked.
“I think I knew the moment that I kissed you the first time. It felt like the entire world had been knocked off balance just because we had found one another.” Brock toyed with the soft strands of her hair and left his face unguarded. He wanted her to see the honesty of his words. “What about you? How did you know?”
“Not as early as you, obviously. I was foolish and thought I could fight against it. Mine happened our first night when we were together. You did exactly what you promised to do. I never expected to feel so empowered by relinquishing my control.”
Brock kissed both of her cheeks. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there during the fire. I should have been there to protect you, but instead I was off wallowing in my own self pity.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Brock. I pushed you away and I’ll never forgive myself for that. The fire was Logan’s fault. It was my father’s fault. And we’ll make sure that they can’t hurt anyone else.” She snuggled into him again and they enjoyed a few more stolen moments before returning to the party.
Dorian and Anders gave Brock looks that said they weren’t impressed with his disheveled state. “We just had a chat about the future, that’s all.”
