Jake
I wasn’t going to lie. I’d thought Ven was a broke college grad when I met her. That didn’t change at any point during the time we spent together in Hawaii. Nothing my sister had told me about her suggested differently. If anything, it had reinforced the theory.
When her text about a family emergency hit my phone and I couldn’t contact her to find out if everything was okay, I called Yara. She’d been in the middle of the Pacific enjoying her honeymoon, but when I’d told her Ven had left and I needed her address, Yara didn’t hesitate to give it to me.
It was only when I got to Ven’s building did it start to click for me that she was not anywhere close to being broke.
There wasn’t a condo in the entire complex that cost under a million dollars, and Ven’s home was well above the million-dollar level.
The only reason I’d been able to get into the building was because I had a friend who lived on the third floor and he owed me a favor.
I’d camped out in front of her door for two hours, hoping she would come home and praying none of her neighbors would call the cops on me for loitering.
When I saw her, relief washed over me. She was here.
Safe. Close enough to touch. Groaning, I reached for her.
With a tiny cry, she launched herself at me at the same time.
“I’m sorry. My mom broke her foot, and I had the worst hangover.
I’ve never had a hangover before. I had a lot going on in my head, and nothing made sense.
I should have waited to tell you, though. ”
“Shh, bunny, shh.” I rolled my forehead against hers. “All that matters is that you’re okay.”
“How are you here?” she asked in a daze.
“I called Yara. Luckily, Claude’s yacht has satellite services. There were no issues reaching her.”
Ven grimaced. “I’m going to be completely honest. I don’t remember much past eating cake after she got married.”
I lifted my head in surprise. “Define ‘much.’”
“Nothing past the cake part,” she whispered, chagrined.
“Good.”
Her brows jumped high. “Good?”
“Yes, good.” I took her keys from her and unlocked the door. Once it was open, I guided her inside.
“Why is that a good thing?” she demanded when I closed the door.
“You had a hangover for a reason, bunny. What do you think happened after eating so much sugar on top of all that alcohol?” Her cheeks pinkened.
“There was a very bad taste in my mouth when I woke up,” she mumbled, her pretty eyes filling with horror. “Oh gods. I must have made the worst mess. And you had to see me like that. Fuck. You still came to find me after that disaster?”
“Ah, little bunny, a little vomit isn’t going to scare me away.
” Scooping her up, I carried her over to her couch.
Her living space was colorful and warm, exactly how I expected it to be, yet surprising at the same time.
That was one of the things I loved most about Ven.
She kept me guessing, without making me sweat—without making me feel like a guest in my own damn life.
From that first smile, I felt like I was home.
Once I was sitting, she cuddled into my arms like she’d been doing it all her life. “Thank you for coming. I missed you so much.”
“Missed you too, baby.” Cupping her face, I met her gaze. “Is everything okay with your family? All your text said was a family emergency.”
“My mom shattered her ankle and needed emergency surgery. Only, she didn’t know I was in Hawaii, and everyone was worried.
I caused a minor international emergency.
” She gave me a weak smile. “Kidding. Kinda. It wasn’t international and it only involved like three, maybe four states, so yeah, totally minor. ”
“We need to clear up a few things. I didn’t realize it, but you’ve been very secretive with me.”
“I met you on Thursday, Jake. It’s barely Sunday.
That’s not exactly a whole lot of time to get in-depth about ourselves.
” I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes on her, and she sighed.
“Okay, so I may have intentionally kept details about myself out of our conversations, but I told you all the important parts. Nothing I said was a lie. I wasn’t trying to pretend to be something or someone I’m not. ”
“Ven, baby, I love everything about you that you have allowed me to see.”
“Jake,” she breathed. “You…”
“Love you. Yes. Is it too soon? Maybe. Do I care? No. Will I be patient until you love me too? I’ll try. But I’m not going anywhere, ever. So you need to get used to me really, really fast, bunny.”
Her hand covered my mouth. “I love you too, Jake.”
What I could only describe as joy exploded inside my chest. How I’d gone my entire life without feeling it until right at that moment, I’d never know and didn’t care.
Pulling her hand away from my face, I kissed her, one hand fisting her hair.
Without thinking, I rocked her against my already-straining erection.
“You’re killing me,” I told her when I made myself break the kiss.
“We need to talk before I’m inside you again. ”
“Okay,” she agreed quietly.
“Tell me who your family is so I can understand the dynamic a little better.” She already knew about my family from Yara. I wished my sister had been more forthcoming about her college roommate over the years. Hindsight and all that bullshit.
“What’s your favorite music genre?” she asked, biting at the corner of her bottom lip.
“This isn’t twenty questions, Ven.”
“There’s a reason for my question, Jacob.” She enunciated my name slowly, her sass bleeding through.
“All right, I’ll bite. Music… I guess, classic rock.”
“What’s your favorite band?” She blinked at me, and I sat up a little straighter, realizing that the answer mattered. This was a test and there was definitely a wrong answer, but I didn’t have a clue what the right one was.
I went with the truth. “Of all time, probably Zeppelin. I enjoy the older OtherWorld stuff and most of…” I trailed off when I saw the glitter in her eyes.
“Demon’s Wings has a lot of great albums, but they haven’t released anything in a while.
I think the bass player is a big-time record producer or something, though.
I don’t really follow music, Ven. Please, stop torturing me. ”
“Shane Stevenson is the producer you’re thinking of,” she supplied with a mischievous smile. “He’s my uncle. My dad is—”
“Drake Stevenson,” I choked out the name as understanding hit me. “You’re Heavenleigh Stevenson.”
“Yeah,” she said with a half shrug.
“All this time, my sister has been one of your closest friends, and she never said anything.”
“Your mother would have never approved of our friendship,” she excused dismissively. “That’s okay, though. I don’t have to like her to love you.”
“Ven, you’re… You…” I stopped, closed my eyes, blew out a breath, and then started again. “Your sister has an Oscar. You have a billionaire for a brother-in-law.”
“Two, actually. Braxton is in private security.” She tapped her fingers lightly on my cheek. “And then there’s my aunt, who is the richest self-made woman in the world. Currently. That changes every year or so. Not everything is a competition, ya know?”
She rolled her eyes, her amusement trying to infect me. But all I could do was shake my head, the realization of what holidays with my family would be like from now on playing out in my head like a horror movie. No wonder Yara hid their friendship. She wanted to protect it from our mom.
“Ah fuck, little bunny, my mother is going to hate you so hard.”
She wouldn’t simply try to scare Ven away; she’d chase her with an ax.
My mother would be so intimidated by Ven’s family, her warm soul, the self-made women in her life, that she wouldn’t give my girl a chance.
She would take one look at Ven, realize she couldn’t control her the same way she’d tried to control Yara all her life, and do everything she could to poison her against me.
Grabbing my face in both her hands, Ven gave me that beautiful smile of hers. “Jake, Emmie Armstrong is my aunt. I’m not scared of Miranda Wilson.”
“You have to promise.” I didn’t care that it sounded weak. Losing this girl would be the worst thing that ever happened to me. “Swear it, Ven. No matter what happens, you won’t let my mom come between us.”
“I swear,” she said without giving it a second thought.
“You have to marry me.”
“Jake,” she laughed, thinking I was joking.
Shifting her, I shoved my hand into my pocket. As soon as my fingers wrapped around the box, I pulled it free. Her laugh cut off abruptly, her eyes going huge.
“Marry me, bunny.”
“That didn’t sound like a question.” Her eyes flicked from my face to the box and back again. “When did you buy a ring?”
“While you were asleep this morning. Or yesterday morning. I don’t even know what time it is, Ven.” Fingers shaking, I lifted the lid. “Marry me.”
“Again, not a question.” With each passing second, her eyes got bigger and bigger.
“I know.”
She gulped. “We met Thursday. It’s only Sunday.”
“I know that too.” Her breathing grew faster, tears brimming her blue-gray orbs. “Marry me, Heavenleigh. The universe wants you to be my wife.”
“That is a very me thing to say,” she whispered.
“It’s definitely one of the things I love about you.” Taking the ring from the box, I captured her left hand and slowly slipped it onto her finger. She had plenty of time to pull away and call me an impulsive idiot. I would be eternally grateful that she didn’t.
Just as I imagined, it looked perfect on her hand.
“It’s so pretty,” she breathed, her attention momentarily stolen by the beautiful ring. And then she blinked, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. “You want to marry me.”
“Want is too tame. Need is closer. But, no.” I shook my head. “I’m going to marry you, bunny.”