King (Shadowridge Guardians MC #11)

28. King

From the moment Doc told Ella she had to stay off her foot, King knew that she was going to be the worst patient in the world.

And he wasabsolutely right .

As soon as he set her up on the couch with blankets, snacks, and a steady stream of entertainment, she turned into amenace.

“Daddy,” she whined dramatically, tilting her head over the arm of the couch. “I need juice.”

King looked up from his spot in the kitchen, where he wasalreadypouring her a sippy cup. “Iknow, baby. That’s why I’mgettingit.”

“But I need itnow,” she moaned.

King smirked, walking over and handing her the cup. “You’resopatient, Little one.”

She grinned sweetly. “Iknow.”

An hour later, she was trying tosneakoff the couch again.

“ Dollface ,” King warned, arms crossed as he watched hershimmytoward the edge of the cushions.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” she said, freezing mid-scoot.

“Backup,” he ordered, pointing at her pile of pillows.

Ella huffed. “You arethemost controlling Daddy ever.”

King chuckled. “And you arethemost impossible Little girl.”

By the end of the second day, she hadcompletelygiven up behaving.

“Daddy,” she whined, grabbing his sleeve dramatically. “Ican’tdo this anymore.”

He raised a brow. “Dowhat, baby? Sit on the couch and eat snacks while you watch cartoons?”

She groaned, throwing her head back. “I need to move.”

King, amused as hell, casually took another bite of his sandwich. “You can wiggle your fingers.”

Ella shot him a glare. “I don’t like you very much right now.”

King leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Yes, you do.”

Shesigheddramatically. “Fine, I do. But you’re still mean.”

That was fine. He’d be mean if it meant taking care of his girl.

On thefourthday, when Doc cleared her towalkagain, Ella practicallyleapedoff the couch and nearly gave King a heart attack.

“Finally,” she squealed. “Isurvived.”

King chuckled, catching her easily. “Itoldyou it wasn’t the end of the world.”

“Itwas, but I made it through.”

To celebrate, King took her on a day date—just the two of them.

They gotice cream first because King had quickly learned that Ella’s love language wassugar.

She got the mostridiculouscombination of flavors—cotton candy and mint chocolate chip—while King stuck to good old-fashioned chocolate.

When she tried tosteala bite of his, he raised a brow but gave her a taste because he couldn’t seem to say no to her unless it was about her health or safety.

After ice cream, they went to theaquarium, where Ella pressed her face against the glass ofevery singleexhibit like an excited child and tried to talk to all the animals.

“Oh my gosh,” she gasped, grabbing King’s arm. “Look at his little face.”

He glanced at the fish in question. “Baby, that thing isugly.”

Ella turned and smacked his arm. “He’sprecious!”

King laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist. “You’reprecious.”

That evening, they met her parents for dinner at the steakhouse in town.

Even in arestaurant, King couldn’t stoptaking care of her. He just did it in a way that was less obvious.

He cut her steak into small pieces without her asking. He handed her a napkin before she even knew she needed one. When she reached for her drink, heautomaticallytilted the straw toward her mouth.

She giggled and blushed. “You’re soridiculous.”

King winked at her. “You love it.”

Halfway through the meal, her parents exchanged a look before her mom cleared her throat. “So, Ella,” she started, smiling. “We have somenews.”

He was pretty sure he already knew what it was, but Ella had no clue.

Ella perked up. “What is it?”

Her dad grinned. “We bought a house.”

Ella blinked. “In New York?”

“Here . In Shadowridge,” her mom announced, clapping her hands together.

Ella froze.

King beamed.

Her father chuckled. “We’ve been working with a real estate agent since we arrived. We’ll be splitting our time between here and New York.”

Ellagaspedso loudly that half the restaurant turned to look at her, but she didn’t even notice. “Are you serious?”

Her momlaughed. “Totally serious.”

Ellathrewher arms around King’s neck, squeezing him so tightly he nearlychoked. “Did you know about this?”

He shrugged and winked at her.

“Oh my gosh, this is the best day ever,” she said as tears filled her eyes.

King chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Just wait, baby. It’s about to getbetter.”

After dinner, the two of them walked to a nearby park to get some air before heading home. Ella slipped her hand into King’s, squeezing it.

“Thank you,” she said. “Foreverything. My life is so much better because of you.”

King’s heart swelled.

He stopped walking, turning to face her completely.

“I’m glad I changed your life, baby,” he said softly. “But there’s one more thing I want to change.”

Ella frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

King reached into his pocket, pulling out asmall velvet box before dropping to one knee .

Ella’s breathcaught in her throat .

When he flipped it open, revealing a stunning diamond ring, her handsflewto her mouth.

“I wanna change your last name, Little one.”

Ellasqueaked. “Are you proposing to me right now?”

King chuckled. “Iam. I know it’s quick, but I knew you were meant to be mine the second I met you. I want to give you everything you’ve always dreamed of. You make me so happy, and I want to spend the rest of my life as your husband and Daddy. Will you marry me, dollface?”

Ellalaunchedherself at him, knocking him backward onto the grass. “Yes!”

Kinglaughed as she peppered kisses all over his face.

Right then, King knew he was truly the luckiest man in the world.