“Every damn word. You got here by yourself, relying on no one; he needed family connections, and still barely graduated. I don’t know how he passed the bar. Maybe he didn’t. But we’ll make sure he can’t do any more damage. I’m not kidding about you remembering who you are. If I have to, I’ll make a sign for your desk to remind you every time you see it.”
Tears gather in her eyes, but she blinks them back. I bet she rarely allows herself to cry, always keeping up her walls. And I can’t wait to tear them down. Sure, I know almost everything about her now after Tristan got done checking into her past. It’s not the same as Jaclyn telling me herself—sharing her memories, history, thoughts, and heart. I want all of her, not just her body. My desire for her is visceral in a way I can’t explain. To have her open her heart to me and allow me to give her everything.
“Adrian said he’d be right back, so if we’re done with twenty questions, you promised to take me for a tour,” she reminds me.
“I did and we will, but first I need to ask you something. Or, really, demand it, and you’re not going to like it.” As my words sink in, she’s already withdrawing into herself.
She struggles against me until I release her. As soon as she’s free, she puts as much distance as she can between us and stops in front of the window. The sunlight shines on her, silhouetting her in a golden glow, and it takes my breath away.
Moving closer, I sit on the edge of my desk. “Jaclyn, I need you to agree to marry me.”
Her sharp inhale echoes in my quiet office.
“Wait, before you say anything, hear me out.” I give her a moment to respond. Asking her this way is a dick move. I should have dropped to one knee and proposed the way she deserves, offering her all of me. Except that would make her think she has a choice, and she doesn’t. I’m not an ass, even though she probably thinks it right now.
She feels this thing between us as much as me; last night proved that. But it’s important that I keep her and JNG safe. That will always be my priority, even if it means she’s unhappy for now. If she gives me the chance, I’ll prove this is the right thing to do, that she belongs with me, even if there wasn’t the threat.
“Fine, I get it, but you’re still crazy. I’m not marrying you. My life is in San Jose, and my job is in Sunnyvale. We haven’t even known each other for twenty-four hours.”
“You’re right. But you’d be lying if you didn’t admit what’s between us, the attraction, the magnetic pull. You can’t hide that from me. I give you goosebumps when I touch you, your heart rate picks up when I’m close, and you turn the most gorgeous rosy pink when I call you Sweetpea, little bit, or my baby. None of that would happen if there wasn’t something there.
“If we had more time, I’d gladly give it to you. Fuck, I’d even follow you back to California to prove this is real. But the issue you helped us uncover at JNG is dangerous, and the FBI cleared out your office. You’ve been implicated, whether you deserve to be or not. They want to bring you in for questioning. Our legal department is holding them off—for now. But the only way I can truly protect you, is to marry you. Husbands and wives can’t be forced to testify against each other.”
“Fuck. You’re really serious? Married? Are you sure there’s no other way? There’s got to be something.” She slides her fingers through her hair and turns to look out the window. “This is insanity. Who does this?”
“Yes, I’m serious. We’ll do it this afternoon. We can’t wait. And as for who does this, the twins got married immediately, and Asher less than two weeks after meeting Emma. You can ask them, they’ll tell you.”
The last thing I want is to force her into this, but I will do anything to protect her. Once I put my ring on her finger, I’ll bring her back to our cabin and worship her body until she can’t think straight.
“I need time to think about this. Are you sure there’s no other way? Because this is crazy. We don’t even know each other.”
“I know you’ve worked hard to get where you are, that you’re a survivor and went through hell in foster care. I know your best friend is a mafia princess, writing romance books under a pen name and hiding from her family. I know you’re sweet, caring, innocent, and the only woman I’ll ever want. No, it doesn’t make sense, and yes, it’s fast, but give me a chance to prove it. I know we’re meant to be together.”
“Mafia adjacent…” she murmurs.
“What?” Of all the things I said, that’s what she picked out.
“Cheri is mafia adjacent. She swears her family isn’t in the mafia. And all the other things you said, they just prove you did a thorough background check on me. I’d expect nothing less, Mr. Gallant. But I know next to nothing about you. You sound crazy, like some insane stalker. If I say no, are you going to whisk me off into the woods until I agree?”
She has no idea how close I am to doing just that. But I won’t, not unless she forces my hand. I won’t allow anyone to ruin her life. Even if it feels like I’m the one destroying her dreams.
“Jaclyn, please think about this rationally?—”
She cuts me off, “Rationally? What part of any of this is rational? And your brothers agree with you? Are you all insane? Is this some kind of weird cult you have going on up here? Marry young women and knock them up?”
I’m dying to hold her, but it would only drive her further away. I couldn’t have fucked this up more if I’d tried. Instead, I take a step back, move behind my desk, and sit down, giving her space.
“Adrian and I have gone over every angle. There’s no other way. But I promise you, if we do this and you can’t tolerate being my wife or living here, I’ll let you go once we’ve removed the threat.”
Jaclyn spins around to face me. All the softness she had before is gone, she’s hiding behind her mask again. Her fists are clenched by her sides. “In writing? Will you promise to dissolve the marriage in writing?”
“I can’t do that. It has to be real—everyone has to believe we fell in love. Anything less would put you in danger. I won’t take the chance.”
For a moment, I think she’s going to agree, until she shakes her head mumbling something I can’t make out.
“I need some space. I’m going for a walk. Please don’t follow me, it’s not like I can go far without a vehicle.” She doesn’t wait for my response and heads for the door, nearly colliding with Adrian, who’s standing on the other side. Pushing past him, I listen as she walks down the hallway.
“I guess that didn’t go as you’d hoped,” Adrian says as he walks in and sits down.
