Chapter 24
W e’ve been on the island for a couple of days now, and it’s exactly what I thought it would be. Pure and utter bliss. Connor and I are in a little bubble, one that I hope never has to burst. Although that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach won’t leave.
When something is too good to be true, it usually is. And right now, Connor and I are really good. Out here, alone, we can be ourselves. Just us, with no other influence. I don’t have my family breathing down my back. His family has no way of finding us.
Connor is still on high alert, though. He’s relaxed a little, but I can tell he’s constantly thinking up worse-case scenarios.
Which is smart. I should be thinking about them too.
He’s also been making me workout with him.
That usually leads to us having sex. Because a shirtless, sweaty Connor isn’t something I can resist. It’s not something I want to resist either.
Picturing that has me going outside in search of him.
He mentioned heading out to the yacht. Over the last couple of days, Connor has been reading the engine manual.
He says he needs to know how to work everything on the off chance we need a quick escape.
I also think that he’s a natural student.
He loves learning new shit and is getting bored.
Island life is slow, quiet, peaceful. But when you grow up in the city, and in our families, life is rarely quiet or peaceful .
That could be why I have this sense of dread.
Or it could be the fact that I have a price on my head.
That there’s a price on Connor’s head too.
People will do a lot for the kind of money the O’Malleys are offering them.
I also haven’t spoken to my parents in days.
My mom and dad called on the burner phone Lorenzo left with us when we first arrived.
Then they said they wouldn’t call again, not for a while, and to let them know if we needed anything.
Supplies are supposed to be flown in weekly, which would mean that in three more days, we can expect a chopper to land.
As soon as I step outside, I tilt my face up towards the sky.
The clouds are dark and there’s a refreshing chill in the air.
A nice change from the humidity we’ve had the last couple of days.
A few minutes later, I spot Connor down on the beach.
He’s just standing there, looking towards the house. Towards me.
My lips spread into a huge grin as I get closer to him and see what he’s done. Connor has written PC + SB in the sand before closing a heart around the letters. Just like I wrote on his mirror once.
“What are you doing out here, Charming?” I ask, stopping in front of him.
Connor takes my hand and leads me into the center of the heart, right between our initials—our made-up initials.
“Aurora, I love you, and I can’t imagine living a single day without you.
I know that we have one hell of a fight ahead of us, but I won’t ever stop fighting for you.
For us. I want you to marry me.” He pulls his hand from behind his back and holds up a ring.
“I know it’s not a diamond. As soon as we get off this island, I promise I’m going to buy you the biggest fucking diamond your finger can hold. ”
He’s woven the makeshift ring out of what looks to be a palm leaf and done some kind of origami to the top, turning it into a little flower.
“You’re proposing to me?” I ask in shock.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him we are too young, but I don’t.
Because at the end of the day, I don’t care how young we are. I know I’m marrying this man one day.
“No, I want you to marry me. Right now. Here. Just you and me,” he says.
My stomach drops. The promise I made my mom repeats in my head. “I… I want to. I’m saying yes. But I can’t marry you right now, Connor. I promised my mother I wouldn’t get married without her.”
“I know, but no one else has to know. It’s just us, Aurora.
It’s not even legally binding. We can and will make it legal later on.
Get married in a church, with all of your family there—although I’m not sure even the Vatican would be big enough to hold them all.
” Connor smirks. “But right now, this is about just you and me, making a promise to each other.”
“Yes,” I tell him.
“It wasn’t a question. You are going to be my wife,” he says in that cocky tone I love to hate.
“I might be your wife, but you’re going to be my husband. I can’t wait. How do we do this?”
“Give me your hand.” Connor reaches out an arm, placing my palm in his.
Then he holds the ring on my finger. “This is a symbol of my undying love, my never-ending devotion to you. I love you. I promise to always be your dark prince, to always be your ride-or-die person. I promise to love, cherish, and worship you until the devil claims my soul. Even then, I’ll still love you from the pits of hell. ”
“I don’t have a ring.” I look around, but I don’t see anything I can use. Shit, what do I do?
“It’s okay,” Connor says, and I smile at him.
“Connor, from the moment I saw you, you woke me up. I can’t explain why, but I’ve stopped questioning it.
You are the person I was destined for. I was completely numb before you, and now, I see everything, feel everything.
Because of you. I love you, more than I ever thought possible.
You are my best friend. I promise to always be your ride-or-die girl.
I promise to bring a shovel when you have bodies to bury.
I love you. I will always love you, and if you think you’re leaving me to go to hell alone, then you don’t know me very well, because I promise to follow you there. ”
Connor’s face moves towards mine, my arms wrap around his neck, and our lips fuse. “Mrs. Valentino-O’Malley, you are mine. Forever,” he whispers against my mouth.
“And you are mine,” I reply. It’s at this point that the skies decide to open up on us.
Within seconds, we’re drenched. Connor picks me up and runs towards the house. I’m laughing the whole way until he sets me on my feet in the bedroom.
“I can’t wait to do unspeakable things to my wife’s body,” he tells me, and my skin heats up as his eyes trail me from head to toe and back again.
“Yeah? What kind of unspeakable things?” I ask, reaching for the bottom of my shirt.
“I don’t even know where to start,” Connor replies, watching my every move as I continue to strip out of my wet clothes.
“Well, you could start with kissing me,” I suggest, now standing in front of him completely naked.
“Easy.” Connor moves forward. His hand cups the back of my neck, and just before his mouth meets mine, I pull away.
“Not there,” I tell him.
With a tilt of his head and a smirk that makes my core weep, his eyes move south. “Where would you like me to kiss you, princess?” he asks.
I move backwards until I can sit on the bed and spread my legs as wide open as they’ll go. My finger runs through my pussy. “Right here.”
Before the words are out of my mouth, Connor is on his knees in front of me. “This is an altar I will always worship at.” His breath sends shivers up my spine as he whispers over my core.
Connor presses the tip of his tongue against my opening and then runs it up to my clit. My head falls backwards, hitting the mattress as pleasure radiates through my body. His mouth closes over my sensitive bundle and he sucks.
“Holy shit. That… Don’t stop.” My hands reach down, my fingers tangling in his hair.
Connor doesn’t disappoint. He does not stop until I’m screaming his name and coming all over his mouth. If this is how life as Mrs. Connor O’Malley is going to be, I’m the luckiest damn wife in all the world.