Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
My bed never felt so good. After weeks in the hospital, I was finally released to go home.
Josh flew back to Chicago ahead of me to make sure no one had any ideas about taking over the territory while we were in New York, which was now his, as soon as that fucker Travis Connor was confirmed dead and Tyler Collins was arrested.
Bryan handled everything with Transient.
The earwig Tisha wore was new tech my company made that recorded conversations.
It was in the beta stages, but in this case, it worked out for all involved.
That, paired with the phone calls and text messages between the two of them from Connor’s cell phone, further corroborated the claim.
Tyler Collins hired Travis Connor to kill me to get revenge for his father.
It was hard to believe. First the father, then the son.
Unbelievable. Somehow, I didn’t peg the little twerp for a cold-blooded fucker.
Tisha was with me every step of the way, although I could tell something was eating at her. She seemed to have a weight on her shoulders. When I asked her about it, she only smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you’re alive.’
Shit, I was too! I apologized several times.
If I had kept off the balcony like she asked me, maybe none of this would’ve happened.
Being in the hospital afforded me time to think, to put my priorities in order.
I was no longer interested in being feared by everyone or living my life in the cutthroat ruthless way I was used to.
I wanted stability and honesty. I wanted love.
I knew I would only get that from one person.
Tisha.
“Hey, how are you feeling today?” She asked as she whisked into my bedroom, just as she did every day since I’d been home.
I didn’t know what I’d do without her, which is why I decided I was serious about going legit and asking her to marry me.
The ring I bought before we went to New York lay nestled in the drawer of the bedside table.
I was going to ask Tisha McLean, head of security at Transient Technologies, to marry me.
There was something about lying on your deathbed that forced a man to change. And I was willing to for her.
“I’m better now that you’re here.” I smirked, trying to sit up in the bed.
She rolled her eyes, put the overnight bag down she was carrying, and flung open the curtains.
She did this every time she came over. She called it “letting in the fresh air.” Tisha said being closed up reminded her of the hospital room.
While she did, I pulled the drawer open and retrieved the ring box from inside, holding it tightly in my fist.
This had become a routine for us. She’d sit on the edge of the bed, giving me the rundown on what happened at Transient as far as security measures went as well as the progress on Tyler Collins. She went to court in my stead until I finished rehab.
“I have something I want to tell you,” she confessed.
I didn’t like the tone of her voice, and Tisha refused to meet my eyes.
“I’ve got something I want to say to you too,” I offered, hoping it would encourage her to say what she had to say. Because I was eager to pop the question. I smiled at her. I couldn’t wait any longer.
“Will you marry me?”
“I need to leave Transient.” We spoke simultaneously.
Confusion lit Tisha’s face, and I was sure what was written on hers was mirrored on mine.
“Wait, what did you say?”
“I said, will you marry me?” I grabbed one of her hands, placing a kiss on her knuckles, then opened the box.
“Tisha McLean.” I held out the ring box with one hand, holding tightly to her other one. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
A long silence fell between us before she spoke. So much so that I was afraid she was going to turn me down.
“Why?” she asked.
“Why?” Her question stumped me. “What do you mean, why?”
I’d asked the most perfect woman I’d ever met to marry me, and she questioned why. I didn’t like being questioned, not even by her.
She settled further onto the bed, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Just what it sounds like, Steven. Why do you want to marry me?”
I stared at this beautiful woman, asking me to reassure her that it would be no one for me but her. I paused for a moment and thought about it. Could I do that? Yes, I could.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. I love your quick wit. Your fierceness and your loyalty, which is the world to a man like me. But most importantly, Tisha, I love you. I probably did from the moment I spotted you at Chatman Security.”
I leaned forward, wiping the tears from her cheeks. That vulnerability was something I cherished as well.
“I know I’m not the ideal man. There’s been a lot of shit I’ve done over the years, but if you’ll have me, will you please take this ring?” I held it out to her once more.
“I love you too,” she whispered through tears, then leaned in and fell into my embrace.
“Now, what did you say?”
“I said, I will marry you…and I quit.” She chuckled at the astonished look on my face. But I didn’t care. She was mine, and I would work to be a better man for her.
Whatever it took.