Chapter 36
ROAN
Two months later…
“Where are we even going?” Katie murmurs, walking her fingers down the front of my shirt in a way that makes my pulse kick up immediately. She’s sitting so close that her heat burns through our clothes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now, would it, Katina?” I tease, playing with the strands of blonde hair she’s let grow out over the past two months.
One thing I’ve learned about Katie—one of many things that fascinate me daily—is that she can be impatient as hell. And as much as she loves surprises, she absolutely hates the anticipation leading up to them. She calls it ‘sweet torture’.
She groans dramatically, pushing away from me. “Come on, you can’t keep holding out on me when we’re so close to—” She cuts off when the car turns into an open field bursting with yellow dandelions. But I doubt it’s the flowers making her jaw drop so perfectly.
No, it’s definitely the helicopter sitting in the middle of the field.
“Roan,” she breathes. “What is this?”
I can’t resist burying my face in her hair, pressing a lingering kiss to the crown of her head. “Why don’t you come with me and find out?”
My heart is pounding harder than I expected as the driver opens the car door, and I step out, extending my hand to her. Katie looks up at me, luminous blue eyes shining with so much emotion it tightens my throat.
“Come here,” I murmur, forcing steadiness into my voice.
She slips her fingers into mine, stepping out of the car slowly, and I give her hand a gentle squeeze. Her eyes widen as she takes in the field, the helicopter, and the pilots standing at attention next to it.
I keep my gaze locked on her, enraptured by every expression that crosses her face as we walk towards the helicopter.
She trails her fingers along the tops of the swaying dandelions, her gaze bouncing between the flowers and the machine ahead.
The wind picks up a little, lifting strands of her hair and making them dance around her face, and my chest expands painfully.
She’s so beautiful. And somehow—by some miraculous twist of fate—she’s mine.
When we reach the helicopter, I nod at the pilots and gesture to the woman at my side. “This is Katie,” I say, watching her intently for her reaction. “My woman.”
Her cheeks flush instantly, and she drops her gaze, biting her lower lip. I chuckle as the redness spreads down her neck, and just because I can, I lean in to taste her blush, which only makes her color deepen as she pushes me away.
I help her into the chopper, fastening her seat belt, then settling the headset over her ears. Once she’s secure, I buckle myself in and adjust my own headset. As soon as that’s done, I reach across the leather seat for her hand.
She gives me a smile so bright it makes my chest ache—makes something unsteady rattle loose inside me I can’t quite name. My gaze stays glued to her as she leans towards the window, eyes wide and sparkling, filled with the awe of a child seeing magic for the first time.
When the chopper lifts off the ground, she actually giggles, a sound of pure, unguarded joy, and I lean in to kiss her, needing to taste her happiness on my tongue.
Her response is immediate, her lips parting readily beneath mine as she moans into my mouth. The sound goes straight through me, hardening my cock, so I pull back before I lose control.
“What was that for?” she asks, voice a little breathless.
“Because I can,” I say with a grin. “And because I’m glad Fabian sent you to infiltrate my estate.”
Her laugh is like a balm to my soul, and my grin widens. “Oh, you’re glad now, are you? Not planning to toss me into the frigorifer anymore?”
I wince at the reminder. “No. Don’t bring that up again. Let’s keep that shit in the past.”
She chuckles, but the sound is cut short by a delighted gasp. She leans forward, pointing excitedly at something out the window. “Look! The Statue of Liberty! It looks so small from this angle.”
I follow her gaze, sliding an arm around her shoulders as she points out more landmarks with childlike enthusiasm. I rub my thumb absently over her skin, more content than I’ve been in years—maybe ever.
Gradually, her excited chatter tapers off, and we watch the spectacular skyline together in comfortable silence for a long moment.
Then I point out a tall, gleaming skyscraper that’s slowly getting closer. “We’re landing on the roof of that hotel.”
She whips her head towards me, eyes going comically wide. “On that tiny roof? Yesss!” She leans forward, practically holding her breath in anticipation.
I chuckle, already knowing she would love it. I know her so well now.
The landing is flawless—our pilots are true professionals—and Katie claps her hands together enthusiastically, her face lit up with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. I barely resist the urge to kiss her again as the chopper’s engines die down and the overhead blades slow to a stop.
I step out onto the roof first, then reach back to help her out. But the wind is noticeably stronger up here at this height and immediately catches her hair and dress, making them billow dramatically around her. Katie laughs, dropping both hands to hold her dress down.
I grin down at her as I slip my arm around her waist and steer her towards the rooftop elevator. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”
“Only a hundred times,” she smirks. “But for the record, you look incredibly mouth-watering in that tux.” She adds the last part while licking her lips temptingly and flattening her palm against my chest.
I groan as we step into the elevator, immediately boxing her into a corner. “Keep looking at me like that, Katina, and we won’t make it to dinner.”
“Down, tiger,” she purrs, dragging her hand down my chest to the buckle of my belt and giving it a playful tug that nearly makes me lose my mind.
I bury my face in the curve of her throat with a deep groan, twirling my tongue over her heated flesh just as the elevator comes to a halt.
“You’re going to pay dearly for teasing me,” I promise her as I step back, and she just gives me a saucy wink.
My hand settles at the small of her back as I lead her out of the elevator into the penthouse restaurant. The overhead lights catch her dress perfectly, scattering silver-blue reflections across the walls. I feel absurdly proud walking beside her.
Checking in with the hostess is quick, and moments later we’re led to our table—the best one, naturally—with a stunning panoramic view of Manhattan’s glittering skyline. A server materializes at our elbow almost as soon as we settle into our seats.
“What would you like?” I ask Katie as I take a quick glance over the menu.
She doesn’t even look at hers. Instead, she leans forward, propping her elbow on the table, and watches me with her flushed cheek resting on her fist. “Why don’t you order for me?”
There’s a spark in her eyes that makes me shift in my chair. If this were any other dinner—any other night—I’d already be carrying her out of here to give us both what we so clearly want.
But this… this is important. So I clear my throat and give the hovering waiter our orders with as much composure as I can manage.
Dinner passes quickly, filled with easy conversation and laughter. It flows so naturally, as if we’ve been doing this for years. As if we’ve known each other our entire lives instead of meeting under the worst possible circumstances.
Katie slips her hand into mine as our conversation shifts to Kayla and how surprisingly well she’s settling into life at the estate.
“She’s incredibly strong,” I tell her, watching her face. “Just like her sister.” Right on cue, color blooms across her cheeks, and she looks away with a shy smile.
After our plates are cleared and a quiet pause settles between us, I push my chair back and stand. My palms feel embarrassingly sweaty, my heartbeat loud enough to drown out the room.
“Katina,” I murmur to catch her attention.
And once I have it—once those pretty blue eyes are locked on mine—I drop to one knee, pulling out the ring box that’s been burning a hole in my pants pocket all evening.
The restaurant falls silent, and her hand flies to her mouth, her eyes going impossibly wide.
“Katherine Pierce,” I start, not caring who’s watching. The only person who matters is her. “You came into my world like a hurricane and blew my perfectly ordered life upside down. You challenged me, infuriated me, made me feel things I’d convinced myself I was incapable of feeling.”
I pause, swallowing hard against the emotion threatening to choke me.
“I don’t know how I lived before you, because now I can't even imagine a single day without you in it. You’re my air, my light, my entire fucking world.” I take a breath. “So put me out of my misery and marry me."
She lets out a stunned, slightly hysterical laugh, blinking rapidly. “Oh my God, Roan. It’s just like you to basically command me to marry you.”
I smile as I flip the box open and hold it out to her. She inhales sharply, studying the ring. “It was my mother’s,” I say quietly. “And I’m sure Ate would want you to have it. He adored you.”
“Oh, Roan…” Her voice wobbles. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Then, to my complete surprise and delight, she drops to her knees right in front of me—in the middle of this fancy restaurant—and kisses me like she never wants to stop. Her soft hands frame my face tenderly, and I can feel her smiling against my lips.
My chest rumbles with a pleased, possessive groan as I wrap my arms around her waist, using my grip on her to haul her closer against me.
The restaurant erupts into enthusiastic applause around us—I vaguely register clapping and a few cheers.
But it all fades into background noise, drowned out by my thundering heart and the sound of her breathing against my lips.
Nothing else exists except this moment. Except her.
My Katina.
Finally, officially mine.