Page 113 of Claimed in the Dark

No warning.

While we stood in the bathroom with me cleaning up his wounds, he popped it open.

“Will you be here with me forever, as my wife?”

I gaped at him, then I lowered my gaze to the beautiful ring. “Is that… You’re proposing?”

He nodded, looking like the ultimate bad boy with his mohawk, his smug smile, and a swollen mark on his cheekbone from the danger he’d survived tonight.

“Like this?” I asked, still incredulous that it was happening.

“Like this,” he said, backing up to lower to one knee. Halfway down, he grimaced. “Fuck. I thought I was hit there too.”

“Don’t. Get up.” I shook my head, helping him to stand and then sit on the counter so I could tug his pants up and see where else he was bleeding. “Nik!”

“It’s not that bad,” he claimed of what looked like another scrape.

I wetted the towel to start cleaning that one up, but he caught my hand and smiled again.

“Will you marry me, sweetheart?”

I leaned up to kiss him, not stopping with rinsing out the small towel in the sink. “Yes. But you’ll have to wait to put that ring on me until I’m done playing nurse.”

“Nope.” He took my hand and slid the ring on, grinning like the cocky, generous man he would always be. “I can’t wait.”

I smiled, kissing him again. “I can’t wait, either.”

Because it was crystal clear that choosing this man meant that I’d never have a dull moment for the rest of my life—with love and danger around every turn.

39

NIKOLAI

One week later…

There wasn’t any reason that Louisa and I had to rush to get married.

If anyone were to ask me, I would’ve rather waited a little longer. Not to prolong it. I was eager to officially call her my wife. To call Brady my son. His adoption could happen at any time, and we had our lawyers ready to facilitate the submission of the required paperwork.

Despite my eagerness to have Louisa as my wife, I was still a sucker to give her whatever she wanted and asked for.

I wouldn’t have minded going about this the right way. Having her get a dress made. The whole bridal party affairs. Invitations. Picking a venue. The works.

Because that was what she deserved. Louisa was an innocent woman who had been put in a lousy situation, one I had been fortunate enough to intervene in and save her life.

She was too good not to have a dream wedding.

I was too rich not to provide for her on this once-in-a-lifetime event.

“It’s not once in a lifetime for me.”

That was her simplest conclusion to why she wanted a basic wedding. Outside, near the pool. With my family around.

I cringed, hating that she’d have that attitude.

“I’m not implying that since this is my second time getting married, it doesn’t matter.”

She leaned up and kissed me deeply. “It definitely matters.”