Chapter 27
Jaxon
Two weeks later…
“Jesus Christ,” Emmeline huffed. “You’re late. Why the hell are you late?”
“They allow dogs in here?” Sinclair growled, playfully glaring at Zorro.
Woof!
“He’s Anastasia’s dog now and he goes everywhere she goes.” My words seemed to amuse the entire family.
How things had changed since meeting the love of my life. Zorro doted on her, not me. Zorro followed her around my house that was slowly turning into her house. Zorro went with her to the dance studio, no longer sniffing out drugs. Well, there was no need for that.
True to Alexander’s word, we’d shut down that portion of our business for good.
Zorro made himself at home on a seat, helped by my mother of all people.
“We should have brought Indiana!” Josette teased Sinclair.
It was a full house with the entire family to see my lovely no longer lost angel perform. With Irina as her taskmaster, but only for the ballet.
While taking a deep breath since I’d run from the parking lot into the theater, I glared at my sister while shoving the huge bouquet of flowers in her face.
She coughed on purpose while Alexander and Montgomery chuckled. Finally, I slipped into the seat, placing the five dozen roses on the seat beside me. “Some arrogant woman told me I needed to provide flowers for the star of the show. So I was just following orders.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Catherine threw in from the seat in front where she sat with Alexander, Montgomery, and Fleur, the foursome awfully cozy.
Meanwhile, Sinclair and Josette were trying to keep straight faces.
“Very funny,” I snapped, thankful that Emmeline had insisted on purchasing a Prince family theater box. At least we had space and privacy. Plus, access to a bar and right now, I needed a drink.
Suddenly, I felt a soothing hand on my shoulder, tiny electric pulses that occurred when my grandmother touched me. Lilian Prince was a formidable force, the wisest, crankiest, and most magical woman I’d ever known.
She was also considered a Mambo or priestess of Vodou, a religion still practiced in various parts of the world including New Orleans. Her spells and successful use of gris-gris were widely known. When she spoke, people listened.
Including in our family.
As she shifted her hand to my face, cupping my jaw, a heated shiver moved down my spine. She was gathering my energy, reading me as anyone else would a book. Seconds passed that turned into minutes and no one else in the family was uttering a word.
“C’est la femme idéale pour toi. Ne la laisse pas partir, sinon les esprits se mettront en colère contre toi.”
She is the right one for you. Do not let her go or the spirits will be angry with you.
My grandmother’s squeeze tightened and I dared not move until she decided the moment was finished. I also dared not go against her wishes because she had full control of the spirits.
“Don’t worry, Grandmother. I have no intention of letting her go.”
“Shush,” Emmeline hissed while my mother laughed. It was good to see her laughing, happy for once. It had been a long road since the death of our father, her husband that she’d adored with all her heart. “The ballet is about to start.”
In the weeks since our return to New Orleans, business had been incredible. We’d also had no issues in handling Carmine. I’d heard he and his family had left the city, which meant he was lucky to be alive. While my beautiful ballerina didn’t need to know, Marco had been handled.
Permanently.
I’d seen such strength in her when she’d confronted the woman she’d believed to be her mother and the man her father had trusted the most. Through use of our computer experts, we’d discovered that Luciano had tried to steal from the family fortune, developing a nest egg to share a new life with Francesco’s grieving wife.
They’d been arrested, the money returned to the rightful owner. Anastasia.
She was a very rich and very powerful woman, but all she wanted to do was dance. Who was I to deny her?
I’d seen my lovely ballerina practice, including in the makeshift studio in my house that would soon be turned into a full-fledged rehearsal studio. She was magnificent.
But nothing like she was tonight. The contemporary performance was incredible, so much so I was on the edge of my seat watching her.
When a full two hours had gone by and the final piece shifted into a crescendo, I was breathless. The moment she dropped to her knees, I was on my feet.
So was the rest of the audience, including every family member. The cheering was wild, so amazing for the entire team of dancers.
But Anastasia would always be the star.
I grabbed the flowers even before she was off the stage, rushing from the box with Zorro following me.
We made it to the dressing room before any of the dancers made it off stage. I was panting by the time I was inside, Zorro harrumphing beside me.
“Don’t laugh at me, buddy. This is a special night, so I don’t want to hear it.” I placed the flowers on the dressing table and of course they filled the entire space.
Now we waited.
Five minutes passed.
Then another five.
Where the hell was she?
I glanced down at Zorro. As soon as I did, his ears perked up in the same question. What if something happened to her? I was ready to bolt out the door when it was pitched open, a laughing girl rushing inside.
Not just any laughing girl. My girl.
As soon as she saw me, she stopped cold, the two other dancers behind her giving her a shove for a sendoff because walking away.
“You’re here,” Anastasia said. “I guess I wasn’t certain you would come.”
“Where else would I be? The entire family is here.”
“They are?”
I nodded, taking another step closer. “You’re family now. Whether you like it or not.”
“So possessive.”
“Yes, I am.”
Zorro interrupted us, rushing forward, his entire backside wiggling.
“Oh, baby boy. My sweet boy,” she cooed, bending over and lavishing him with attention.
He was all over her, adoring the attention. Meanwhile, I was waiting as patiently as possible, which wasn’t an attribute I had around her.
After receiving several kisses from the pup, she finally glanced at me, laughing from whatever goofy expression I had on my face.
“What? Are you feeling lonely?’ She moved toward me, throwing her arms around my neck.
“You’re a very bad girl to keep your master waiting.”
“Who said you’re my master? At this point, we’re just roommates.”
“Would a roommate bring you roses?”
She rolled her eyes and the feel of having her in my arms was more than any man should be able to ask for. I wasn’t a romantic, or that’s what I’d told myself over the years. But with my lost angel, everything seemed to be romantic.
Which was why I’d chosen tonight to make a bold statement. At least for me.
I pushed her away and as soon as I did, she planted her hands on her hips. “What is it?”
“You were given my grandmother’s blessing.”
Her eyes lit up as if she’d been given the role of a lifetime. When she clapped her hands together, I couldn’t believe it. She adored my family more than she did the man who loved her.
Hmmm…
“What did she say?”
“That I better not allow you to slip from my fingers or the spirits will eat me alive.”
“We wouldn’t want that. Would we?”
Zorro whimpered, his backside wiggling again as he looked up at me. I knew what he was thinking. Why was I dragging this out?
So I didn’t.
When I dropped onto one knee, Anastasia laughed.
Until I slid my hand into my pocket.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
Suddenly, I realized the door wasn’t shut. Within a few seconds, two people skidded to a stop in front of the door. Great. I had an audience.
“Well, you did remind me of how a marriage proposal was usually handled. So…”
Woof. Woof. Woof.
“I got it, Zorro. I really do,” I told him, shaking my head. Now four people were at the door, all gasping. “Miss Anastasia Scavullo, my sweet formally lost angel and the love of my life. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? To have and hold. To obey. To obey…” I couldn’t help but grin.
She tossed her head back and forth. Waiting.
Tick. Tock.
“For God’s sake, Anna. Answer the man,” one of the girls told her.
“Okay, fine. Yes, but on one condition,” Anastasia blurted out.
“Here we go. What’s the condition?” I cocked my head. This should be good.
“That we rescue another dog. Zorro needs a friend.”
Whether or not she was kidding didn’t matter. The look both she and Zorro gave me warmed my heart. I now understood why my three brothers were so damn happy.
“So is that a yes if I say yes?” I nagged.
“Of course.”
“Then yes. A puppy it is.”
“Then yes. But no obedience.”
As I slipped the ring onto her finger, I thought about how delicious it would be to place a collar around her neck. When I stood, the moment was captured in time, a reflection of the past colliding with the future.
And suddenly, I wanted kids. Lots of them.
She flew into my arms, squealing in tandem with Zorro’s hearty woof.
As I captured her mouth, several aahs and oohs sounded around us. I’d never been one for a spectacle but around her, I had a feeling I’d need to get used to just about anything.
“Jaxon. Anna.”
Emmeline’s voice shocked both of us and we pulled our lips free.
“What’s wrong?” I threw out.
“It’s Catherine. She’s gone into labor. We need to go to the hospital.”
“Now? I just asked Anastasia to marry me.”
Emmeline gave me her look. “About time. Now, let’s go.”
A family affair.
Maybe I’d taken my family for granted during all these years. Years of laughter and celebrations, of sadness with funerals. Tragedies and honors, business and recreation. Weddings and now births.
Our family was growing.
I was very glad to be a member of the Prince family.
And equally proud to be my father’s son.
But even more, I was happy that one beautiful woman had interrupted my life. My ballerina.
My lost angel.
My very soul.
And the woman who’d captured not only my sins but also my heart.
The End