Chapter 43
Ria
To:riastone@
From:colewest@
Subject: Portfolio
Good evening, Ria,
Apologies for not being in touch. Things have not gone to plan with one of our hotels here in Greece, but I’m hoping to be back in London shortly. I’ve asked Shannon to pencil in a meeting with you to discuss my decision.
In the meantime, enjoy your brother’s wedding. I'm certain it will be a wonderful celebration.
Regards, Cole
The email stares at me from my mobile screen, taunting me.
The sounds of the birds woke me and I foolishly rolled over and checked my phone instead of falling back asleep.
I know I’ve wanted Cole to contact me but now he has, I'm jittery. I peel myself quietly out of the bed I’m currently sharing with Grace.
Jade is superstitious and didn’t want to see Hunter until the wedding, so she asked all us girls to stay with her in the wedding suite.
It was perfect as we all laughed and the worries of everything else drifted away as we stayed up well into the early morning.
The suite is huge and perfect for all of us to get ready for the wedding.
Light and airy, it is adorned with vases and vases of sunflowers and wildflowers, symbolic of Jade and Hunter’s love and utterly stunning.
Slumping down onto the plush cream couch, I rest my head in my hands.
This could be it.
I could finally have the portfolio. But if he is letting me down and giving the opportunity to Ezra, I’m not sure I could take it. He has been surprisingly quiet and that in itself is unnerving.
My phone chimes in my hand, making me jump, and Leo’s name flashes across my screen.
Leo - You awake?
Ria - Yep
Leo - Meet me in the gardens under the willow?
Ria - Okay
Finding my jacket, I wrap it around my silk pajamas and slip on my tennis shoes before quietly padding out of the suite.
Hugging my arms around myself, I walk quickly down to the gardens just beyond the terrace that is lit up by strings of twinkling lights and follow the path to the large willow tree in the center.
Pausing when I see Leo pacing, raking his fingers through his hair in front of the beautiful backdrop, I swallow the lump forming.
After he talked things out with Hunter, it was like something had switched in him.
The confidence that usually rolled off him in waves wavered and was replaced by a vulnerability I’ve never seen in his eyes.
Having not had a chance to talk to him privately all evening about what torture my brother threatened him with, I’m certain he’s now regretting everything we have done these past couple of weeks even if every moment I’ve spent with him felt perfect.
Clearing my throat, I offer him a small wave and he walks toward me. “Ri, are you okay? Not cold?” Placing his hands on my shoulders, he rubs them up and down my arms, his voice a little shaky as he takes me in.
“No, I’m not cold.” I smile weakly at him.
“Good. I’m sorry for dragging you out of bed.”
“It’s fine. I couldn’t sleep.”
“No?” As he guides me to the bench underneath the willow, I shake my head.
“I got an email from Cole that woke me.”
Sinking down on the bench, Leo takes my hand in his. “What did it say?”
“That he’s giving us the decision shortly.”
“It’s yours, Ri, I know it.”
“You can’t know it for sure.” I sigh as he loops his arm around me, pulling me in closer. His fresh scent assaults my senses, and I rest my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes.
“He’d be a fool not to give it to you.” He kisses the top of my head.
“I like your optimism.” Snuggling farther into his warmth, I wrap my arm across his stomach, my body sagging into him as he tightens his hold.
We stay silent, just the sounds of the early morning echoing and easing my nerves.
“I’ve heard from Morgan. She says Nila is fine.
” Morgan was recommended to us by the shelter as we needed someone to be with Nila because Leo has become shockingly attached to her in a short space of three days and told me under no circumstances would she be going into boarding while we weren’t home.
“Yeah, she sent me a video of her playing with that fluffy mouse on a stick I got her.” He smiles to himself and strokes his hand down my arm.
“You’re obsessed,” I tease.
“You didn’t hear her story; I was literally sobbing in the shelter when they explained what happened to her. She can have all the fluffy mice, ridiculously soft cat beds, and special cat treats. My girl’s been through enough, and now is her time to be a queen.”
“You’re going soft on me.”
He shrugs and tilts my chin up with his fingers. “I’m a lover not a fighter.”
“So true.” I pause, biting my lip as I trail my fingers along his chest. “Did she mention Bartholomew?”
“She said he was missing you, told me his leaves were a little droopy last night, so she played a voice note you sent and he perked right up.”
“Good, I miss that little guy.”
“Our babies are doing fine.” We both laugh, but my stomach drops, thinking about what a future with Leo by my side could look like. “So, you spoke with Hunter?”
“I did.”
“What did he say?”
“That I wasn’t to hurt you.”
“I have to agree with him.” He pinches my side causing me to yelp. “Hey, he said don’t hurt me.”
“I’d never do that,” he whispers, his hot breath tickling my skin. “Not unless you ask me to.” A full-body shiver racks through me when he nips my ear lobe. “You okay, baby?”
“I love it when you call me that.” Reaching up, I cup his jaw.
Turning his face, he kisses my palm. “I can’t stop thinking about you.” His steel-gray eyes lock on mine and he clasps my hand in his. “And how I need to make things up to you.”
“What do you mean? You don’t need to make anything up to me.” I brush my thumbs across his, and he turns to hold both my hands in his, then he drops his head and slowly shakes it.
“But I do. I need to be completely honest with you. You’re special to me, Ri—so fucking special.
” Swallowing, he pins me with a stare so intense my heart pounds wildly against my rib cage.
“I know I didn’t do this the right way the first time.
I’ve done this all backward. But I want to make it right.
You, Ria Stone, deserve the world, and I want to be the one to give it to you.
If you will let me.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a small black velvet box, slowly flipping open the lid, and the pounding in my chest stutters to a stop.
The ring that is settled in the black silk cushion sparkles and shines in the dark night.
“Leo, is that…?” I gasp and clutch my chest as Leo nods.
“Dad gave it to me after Mom passed. He wears her wedding ring around his neck, but he told me to keep hold of this.” Surrounded by tiny diamonds, a huge, brilliant solitaire diamond is encased in a stunning claw setting, that I vividly remember being on Diana Brent’s delicate finger.
My most precious memories of her growing up are of her infectious smile and how she managed to harbor the attention of everyone in the room.
She and my mom were the real force behind Bright.
Both Dad and Joseph Brent agree that without their wives, they wouldn’t be where they are now.
Watching both formidable women command a room, I knew at an early age that I wanted to emulate their success and their aura, but Diana Brent was cruelly taken from the world.
Leo was only twelve at the time, and I know Joesph has never gotten over her death.
“But why give it to me?”
“He told me to give it to the woman who turns my world upside down, the woman who is constantly on my mind, the woman who doesn’t ask for my attention but the one who has all of it even when she isn’t near me.
” My breath catches in my throat as he continues.
“I’ve always felt differently around you so I’m starting with this.
” He pulls the small band off my finger and places it in his pocket.
“You are not plain; you sparkle. And if we’re doing this, I’m doing it properly.
” Dusting his thumb over the space where he has just removed my ring, he adds, “This isn’t my proposal.
This is me righting a wrong, but I’m serious about this.
I hope this ring shows you that I want to do this with you if you still want to. ”
Words escape me as I nod. “Yes, Leo. I want this,” I choke out and he closes his eyes and lets out a ragged breath. His fingers shake as he takes the insanely beautiful ring and gently slides it on my ring finger. “It fits.”
Curling my hand around the nape of his neck, I bring him down to kiss him lightly on the lips. “So, we’re doing this? This is real?” I whisper against his lips.
“This is real.” He pulls me into him so I’m flush with him and he kisses me slowly and with purpose, almost like he is pouring himself into me, and I take it all, everything he is giving to me. I hold on to it.
“Leo?”
“Hmm?” He continues to pepper my skin with kisses—my neck, my cheeks, my jaw—sending my pulse skyrocketing.
“Can I have my other ring back?”
“Huh?” Pausing his kisses, he pulls back to look at me.
“The ring you gave me in Vegas; I want to still wear it.” Taking the original ring out of his pocket, he places it in my hand and watches as I slide his mom’s ring back off my finger, placing my original ring back and slipping the stunning ring he just gave me onto my ring finger.
They slot perfectly next to each other as if they were custom-made to fit together.
“Okay, girls, I need you all to just act natural. I'm going to take some shots of you all as you get ready,” Kenya, the photographer, says as she messes with her camera that is slung around her neck. “Just forget I’m here.”
Everyone is rushing around me, but I’m not completely in the room. Twisting the new ring around my finger, I mull over Leo’s words from early this morning.
“I’m getting married. I’m actually getting married.” Jade bounces around the suite, her white satin robe trailing behind her.