Chapter 53
Chapter Fifty-Three
KNOX
“We should check on her.” Carter says while pacing the living room for the thousandth time. He does not handle it well when Heather is out of sight, unless she’s with one of us.
“She’s getting tattooed. I’m sure she’s fine but if you want to check on her, go for it.” Killian says, and it doesn’t take Carter long to go upstairs to do just that.
Killian looks around him to make sure the coast is clear.
“I’m meeting with Julian in the morning. Everything is in.”
Dragging my hand down my face, I admit my concern.
“What if she says no? Her family has just been eliminated and we are asking her for a lifetime commitment. Are we rushing things?”
Kill grabs the Scotch and pours us both two fingers. Sliding one of the glasses to me, he narrows his gaze.
“Are you losing interest?”
I take a swallow of my drink before answering him.
“Jesus Christ. No. My feelings haven’t changed for her. I just don’t want to push her too quickly. I’m worried it’s too much.”
Kill stares at me, considering my words as he runs his finger along the rim of his glass.
“It’s a question, not a demand. If she says she’s not ready, we will wait for as long as she needs us too.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. I’m not sure why I’m over thinking things.
Then it hits me when I realize I do know why.
I want this. Her. None of the other women I’ve been with have ever meant anything to me.
It was only sex. Heather is fucking everything.
If she decided to move on without us, I’m not sure how I’d react because she’s the glue holding us together.
Right now she’s ours, and I’m desperate to keep it that way.
That thought scares me because desperate men do stupid fucking things.
“Breathe, brother. She loves all three of us. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Carter comes back down with a smile on his face.
“She’s fine. And almost done.”
Kill rolls his eyes.
“Like I said.”
Carter takes a seat and Kill passes him an empty glass and the bottle of whiskey. He pours himself a generous amount before taking a long pull of the liquor.
“Everything set?”
Kill nods.
“Of course. Knox thinks she’ll say no.”
Carter holds his glass to his lips and stops mid sip and raises an eyebrow as I shake my head.
“That’s not what I said, but it’s a possibility. She has been through a lot. I’ve been thinking about what I’d do if she walked away.”
He takes another drink and sets his glass on the table.
“What would you do Knox? I know exactly what I’d do.”
Kill and I both know what Carter would do but I entertain him anyway.
“What would you do?”
He shrugs his shoulders as if it’s no big deal.
“Stalk her. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. Any man that even looks at her-“
He sighs contentedly as if thinking about it is a pleasure itself.
“I’d fucking kill every single one of them. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her. One way or another.”
Killian chuckles but agrees with Carter.
“I’ll be right beside you, brother. We are not going back to life without her.”
They both sound like fucking psychos, but I can’t say I disagree with them. If she asked me to leave her alone I’m not sure I could. I’d try to honor her wishes, but fail miserably.
“Why would you go back to life without her?” Heather asks, sneaking up on us.
Carter is quick to respond, his gaze lifting to hers, his eyes darkening with a possessive glint.
“We wouldn’t.”
She places her hand on her chest as if breathing a sigh of relief.
“Good because all of your names are on my body. So I’ve made this permanent.”
Kill flashes me a surprised look.
“Show us, baby.”
Pulling up her shirt, she shows us the tattoo on her abdomen, and it nearly takes my breath away. Surely she wouldn’t have done this if she were entertaining the idea of leaving us.
There are three purple hearts, and above them it says, ‘A love like ours never dies.’ Underneath it has each of our names.
Lowering her shorts, she turns around, and I realize she kept where Killian had cut into her ass, but all around it, there’s a purple rose with blood dripping from the thorns and says, ‘Forgiveness is an act of love.’
All three of us stare at her like idiots. I’m not sure if my brothers expected our names on her gorgeous skin, but I sure didn’t. My chest tightens knowing she has done something so permanent. It’s as if she’s saying yes, I want to marry you. I want to be yours for—forever.