Chapter 19
ELENA
With everything that had happened, and Reeve wrapped up in “club business,” I resorted to stress baking when sketching didn’t ease my nerves any longer. Today, I was craving chocolate chip cookies, so one of the prospects had run out to get the missing ingredients I needed.
But I frowned as I stared at the butter. I couldn’t remember if my mom used salted or unsalted. I wasn’t sure how much of a difference it would make in the recipe, but I decided to call her anyway. Wiping my hands on a towel, I grabbed my phone and tapped her contact before I could overthink it.
She answered on the second ring, breathless. “Elena? Is everything okay?”
It had been a while since I’d called her outside of holidays. Longer than I intended. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just had the sudden urge for cookies, and I can’t remember if your chocolate chip recipe uses salted or unsalted butter.”
Her voice was warm as she explained, “Unsalted, sweetheart. The salt content varies by brand, so it allows you to control the exact amount you’re using.”
I opened the box, glad the prospect had grabbed the kind I needed. “Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome. I’m just glad to hear your voice.”
Guilt tugged at me, but so did an unexpected warmth. “Me too.”
“We’ll talk soon? When you have time?”
Sensing him near, I turned as Reeve stepped inside the kitchen. He looked tired, but his expression softened when his gaze met mine.
Unable to stop the small smile forming from seeing him, I murmured, “Sorry, Mom. I need to go. But I’ll call you later, okay? And we’ll talk.”
“Good, I miss you.”
“Miss you too. Please tell Dad I love him. Bye.”
I hung up and set my cell on the counter just as Reeve reached me. I lifted a hand to his jaw, brushing my thumb over the rough scrape of stubble since he’d been too busy to shave this morning.
“You’re home.”
His fingers caught my wrist, pressing my palm against his cheek. “Wherever you are is home for me, Elena.”
The sincerity in his voice hit me so hard tears blurred my vision before I could blink them away.
Reeve’s expression shifted immediately. He stepped closer, his breath warm against my lips as he rasped, “Don’t cry, baby.”
“I can’t help it.” A watery laugh escaped me. “But these are happy tears, I promise.”
“They still kill me.”
The raw honesty in his voice loosened something in my chest. I’d realized the depth of my feelings for him days ago, but the time hadn’t felt right to say the words out loud. Until now. “I love you.”
He kissed me. Hard and deep. Like he’d been waiting for that confession.
When he finally tore his mouth from mine, his voice was hoarse. “Fuck, baby. I love you too.”
Then he pulled me into his chest, his arms wrapping around me tightly as I sank into him without hesitation. This was where I belonged, where I’d always choose to be.
Reeve didn’t let go of me right away. His forehead rested lightly against mine like he needed just one more moment of closeness before he could move. Then he exhaled, brushed his thumb along my cheekbone, and lifted his other hand.
For the first time, I noticed what he was holding.
A smaller version of his cut. My breath caught in my chest when he turned it in his hand, revealing what had been stitched onto it—PROPERTY OF ONYX.
“Reeve,” I breathed.
Emotion clogged my throat before I could get anything else out.
“I know what you told me about that symbol on your calf. How it felt like being branded.” His fingers brushed the edge of the patch, his expression tight. Like he hated that memory as much as I did. “I get that the word property might hit wrong for you.”
“It doesn’t,” I cut in softly, surprising even myself with how sure I sounded.
“You sure?” he asked.
“This is nothing like what Jareth did to me. That was manipulation.” I pressed my palm to Reeve’s chest, over his heartbeat. “This is the opposite. I gave myself to you rather enthusiastically from what I remember. I chose to be your woman. I want your vest…and your ink on my skin.”
Relief flashed in his eyes before he hauled me in for a hungry kiss which ended faster than I preferred because the kitchen door swung open behind us. We broke apart just as people spilled into the room.
“Ohhh, put it on!” Stella crowed, spotting the vest immediately. “Make it official.”
Courtney clapped her hands. “About time!”
“You can say that again,” Kevlar snorted. “Maybe now he’ll chill the fuck out.”
“Another brother bites the dust,” Ace muttered.
Reeve glared at both of them as he slid the vest onto my back. Suddenly I was surrounded, the women fussing over me, welcoming me like I’d always belonged here.
“You’re family now.” Nora squeezed my hand. She was Ash’s wife, and also an EMT. So she’d looked me over the morning after my ordeal, just to ease Reeve’s concerns.
“One of us,” Annika added with a grin.
Reeve stayed close behind me, one hand resting at the small of my back while I enjoyed the feeling of belonging. And just when I thought the moment couldn’t get any better, he proved me wrong.
After everyone had their chance to congratulate us, his gaze dragged down my body and back up. “Love how you look in that vest. Like you belong to me in every way that matters.”
I smiled up at him. “Because I do.”
“Yeah.” He pulled me closer until our bodies brushed. “But I need more, baby.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he slipped his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out a ring. A black diamond set in platinum. Simple but stunning.
“Reeve,” I whispered, but he shook his head like he wasn’t ready to let me say anything yet.
“Marry me, Elena. I’m never letting you go, but I want you to choose me every damn day. For the rest of our lives.”
I nodded so fast my vision blurred, more happy tears stinging before I could blink them back. “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”
His mouth crashed into mine at the same moment he lifted me off the floor, my legs wrapping around his waist on instinct. I was laughing, crying, and kissing him all at once, repeating my answer against his lips, needing him to feel how sure I was
When he finally set me down, his hands shook just a little as he slid the ring onto my finger. I stared at the dark stone that somehow felt more me than anything I’d ever worn, and my throat tightened.
As if he could read the shift in my expression, Reeve’s brows drew together. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I choked out. “It’s perfect. I just…I can’t wear this while I’m working. It’s too pretty. I don’t want ink getting into the setting.”
“Already handled.” He reached into his pocket again and pulled out two matte black silicone bands. “Backup rings for us to use at work.”
I loved that he’d known I would worry about keeping my ring safe. “Remember what you said about needing more?”
“Yeah, baby.” He nodded with a chuckle. “That was about two minutes ago.”
“We should tattoo our ring fingers too,” I whispered, lifting my hand.
His answering growl was pure possession. “Fuck yes we should.”
That was two new tattoos for Reeve to put on me, but I had a feeling I’d want a whole lot more in the future.