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“Yes. I’m ready to do this.”
“Why so quickly?”
Cupping her cheeks, I kissed her. “I know the Sellingers most likely have someone watching our every move. Finn needs to see that we’re planning on a future together. I don’t want to wait until after the fight. Plus,” I said, pressing my lips to hers, “it’ll give us something to look forward to. After we save each other, we’ll take the next step in our relationship.”
A sad smile spread across her face. “I’m pretty sure fighting for each other’s freedom is a higher step than anything.”
I shook my head. “No, that would be you agreeing to be my wife.”
“Wouldn’t that be interesting,” she said, her eyes twinkling.
“It would. Is marrying me something you could see in your future?”
Reagan shrugged her shoulders flippantly. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Maybe? Are you scared?” I teased.
“Not in the least.” The laugh that came from her was music to my ears. I hadn’t heard one from her since we arrived in California.
“Then, why don’t we make it come true.”
I could see the excitement on her face. “Oh yeah, how can we do that?”
“After this shit’s done with the Sellingers, let’s make what’s between us more real. Marry me, Reagan. I would do it right this moment if we could.”
Reagan wrapped her arms around my neck. “Well, now, wasn’t that romantic? You don’t even have a ring.”
“True,” I replied, sliding my arms around her waist. “But ring or not, I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life.” Tears formed in her eyes, and she looked away as they fell down her cheeks. I turned her toward me and wiped the wetness from her face. “What do you say, sunshine? Do you think you can say ‘I do’ with me when the time’s right?”
Reagan nodded quickly and kissed me, breathing the word ‘yes’ against my lips. “Yes,” she whispered again. “When the time’s right.”
“When do you think that’ll be?” I asked.
She nipped my lip, her blue eyes piercing into mine. “Soon.”
CHAPTER34
REAGAN
“What did you think of the last house?” Braden asked.
We were on our way to the last two destinations on our list. We spent all night researching homes along the coast. Most of them were in Santa Monica, but there were a couple in Malibu we liked.
“I loved it,” I said, turning away from the window to look at him. The wind whipped through the car, and I had to push my hair back. “But I didn’t have thatfeeling.”
Looking cute in his backward baseball cap, Braden chuckled. “I know what you mean. Maybe one of the next two will be what we want.”
“I hope so.”
Time was flying by, and I wanted it to stop. Shopping for houses with Braden has been a welcome distraction, but soon, we’d be on our way to Finn’s house, signing away what could be the rest of our lives. We haven’t talked about what would happen if either of us lost our fights, but I knew it was in the back of his mind, just like it was in mine. There was no way on God’s green earth I would let Annika win. She might be cunning, but I was stronger.
Finn was who I worried about. If anyone were going to sabotage a fight, it would be him. If we were going to have to sign their stupid contracts, I was going to make damn sure to read it thoroughly. That contract would be detailed by the time I was done negotiating. Seth would be with us, but that only brought me minimal comfort. He already said he wouldn’t start a war on our behalf, but Ididtrust him to watch our backs.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the gatehouse to a private Malibu community where Mitchell, Braden’s real estate agent, waited for us beside his white Infiniti QX80. He hopped out of his car and waved at us before entering the code on the gate keypad. Mitchell was only five-foot-three and boyishly cute with perfectly coifed brown hair and glasses. He was also funny as hell, and I could see why Braden liked him so much.
The large wrought iron gate opened, and we followed Mitchell through. “Isn’t that fancy,” I said.
Braden sighed. “More like secure. But then again, it’s only a code that could easily be obtained.” After seeing how Finn could track us down so easily, I feared a fortress wouldn’t be enough to keep him out.
