Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
KNOX
“You know you’ve always been like a son to us.
” Trevor’s warm blue eyes, so much like Savi’s, beam at me now.
They arrived yesterday after spending some time in one of their new rentals, which they’re renovating up in the Carolinas.
When they came downstairs, dressed for the ball tonight, I took this opportunity to talk to them while Savi was in the bedroom getting ready.
I’ve always looked up to Trevor Montgomery. Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I had told them about my dad. I know they would have taken me into their home in a heartbeat.
Would I be the same person if I had grown up with a dad like Trevor? I spent every second I could on the ice to escape the world I lived in. Would I be where I am today in hockey if things had been different, and I didn’t have a life that I wanted to escape from?
All the unknowns I will never have answers to, but none of it matters now. It led me to where I am in this moment…standing in front of the most loving parents I know, and asking for their blessing to marry their only daughter.
“I always knew there was something between you two,” Meaghan smiles, her grey eyes brimming with tears.
Savi and I had dinner with them last night and told them the news that we were together.
I was surprised at how easily it went and how little they were shocked by it.
Her parents had obviously felt what we both were trying to hide through the years and saw right through our angry avoidance of each other.
It’s clear the brothers get their build and looks from their dad, with his tall frame and full head of dark hair with just a dusting of grey mixed in.
But Savi…she’s the spitting image of her mother.
Both have slender frames and long dark hair.
They even have the same dusting of freckles across their noses.
It’s the eyes, though, that capture you. Even though Meaghan’s eyes are grey like her sons’, they still have the same ability that Savi has to pull you into their depths. It’s like seeing a glimpse of everything good in the world, and you never want to leave.
“Must be that mother’s intuition,” I smile. “I buried it so deep that most of the time I convinced myself it wasn’t there.”
“It was there,” she smiles. “You both just needed to let your guards down long enough to let yourselves feel it.”
“So I have your blessing then?” I look at Meaghan and then at Trevor, praying they see someone who can love and protect their daughter.
“Of course you do, son,” Trevor grins, grabbing my shoulder and bringing me to his chest for a hug. “Meaghan and I would be honored to have you marry our daughter.”
“Yes, we would,” Meaghan smiles, pulling me into her arms. “You two make a beautiful couple. I have no doubt you will be very happy together.”
Savi comes out just then, and anything I was going to say in this moment completely vanishes from my mind as I stare speechless at the beauty in front of me.
Her hair is slightly curled tonight and is swooped to the side, revealing her slender neck. The silky black material hugs her body just like I knew it would, revealing her long leg through the slit and ending in gold heels that any man would die to feel pierce their skin.
“I think you rendered Knox speechless,” her dad chuckles. “You look beautiful, honey, just like your mom,” he smiles.
“This dress!” Her mom rushes over and feels the fabric.
“It’s gorgeous on you,” she smiles, kissing her cheek.
“We’ll give you two a moment. I think Knox needs it to recover,” she grins, looking back at me, but I barely hear what is being said.
All my attention is still on Savi as a light blush appears on her cheeks, while I continue to stare, unable to look away.
“Let’s get you a drink, love,” Trevor says, taking his wife’s hand and leading her to the bar set up in the living room.
“Do you like it?” She asks softly, glancing down at the dress before meeting my eyes again.
“Turn around for me. I want to see all of you,” I reply. My voice is thick with emotion as she slowly turns, and I take in her bare back and the way the fabric hugs her backside like a second skin.
Blue eyes sparkle with light as I walk toward her.
“I don’t think there are enough words for how beautiful you are.” Picking up her hand, I kiss the underside of her wrist. “It’s missing something, though.”
Looking down at her dress, she frowns in confusion. “What could it possibly be missing? This dress is perfect.”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the dainty gold bracelet that has a diamond sun in the middle.
“Knox,” she whispers, shaking her head. “You’ve already given me so much. I can’t…”
“You will,” I smile, putting it on her wrist. “Let me spoil you, sunshine. I enjoy it.” I finish clasping the bracelet and admire it on her slender wrist. “There,” I murmur, “much better.”
Her eyes light up as she fingers the diamond sun in the center.
“It’s beautiful,” she says in awe. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I smile, touching her chin and lifting her lips to mine.
She sinks into the kiss, and I suddenly wish we didn’t have anywhere to go, so I could throw her over my shoulder and see what the bracelet looks like on her when she’s not wearing the dress.
When I finally pull away, she smiles against my lips and runs her hands along the front of my black tux.
“You look devastatingly handsome in this,” she murmurs, sliding her hand up and fingering my bow tie. “Very sexy.”
“This penguin suit turning you on?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.
“Very much so,” she laughs.
“I guess we both can be miserable together because I, for one, am going to be walking around this entire evening with a dick that didn’t get the memo that it needs to behave with you in that dress.”
“I like it when your dick doesn’t behave,” she grins cheekily.
“I knew I would corrupt you,” I groan, rubbing a hand over my face. “I’ve created a monster—a very tempting, seductive monster who needs to put away those fuck me eyes before I do something stupid and ruin the good thing I have going with your dad right now.”
“Okay,” she giggles, “I’ll put them away…for now. But only because I’m excited to wear this dress tonight and don’t want it destroyed. It took forever for me to get ready, and my makeup is too flawless for you to mess it up in a matter of minutes.”
“Seconds…it would take seconds for me to ruin your dress and your makeup. You can time me later,” I grin. “Right now, let’s get you a drink before our ride gets here.”
“Ride?” She asks, following me to the bar.
“Didn’t I tell you?” I ask, feigning surprise.
“Tell me what?”
“Well, everyone will be drinking, and I thought it would be fun if we all rode together, so I rented a limo,” I shrug, looking at my watch. “It should be picking up your brothers one by one right now.”
“A limo?” She grins. “I’ve never been in a limo before.”
“Truthfully, me neither,” I laugh. “I usually just Uber to these things…alone. I guess we both get a first tonight.” We arrive at the bar, and I pour her a glass of chilled Prosecco and hand it to her.
“This is going to be so fun!” She beams, kissing me soundly on the lips before walking over to her parents on the sectional.
I smile at her excitement as I pour myself a neat bourbon. Even though this ball is for a good cause and to raise money for The Grace Foundation, I’ve always dreaded having to go to these events.
Public speaking and walking around kissing everyone’s ass that could be an important donor is not something I enjoy doing, but it’s not about me—it’s about the kids.
So once a year, I put on this tuxedo, invite my rich teammates and some heavy spenders in the area who have more money than they know what to do with, and do my best to raise as much as I can for the kids who need it.
I’ve got a team that runs the foundation and puts this all together, so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining that all I have to do is show up.
Besides, tonight might actually be fun this year. I take a sip of my drink and watch Savi laugh at something her dad says. Having her by my side all night is going to make this a whole hell of a lot more bearable.
Or unbearable…depending on how you look at it, as I watch her slender throat move as she swallows a sip of her sparkling wine. Her bracelet flashes in the light, and I have a strong urge to kiss the underside of her wrist again.
Why the fuck am I getting turned on so much by a wrist?
My phone dings on the bar, and I see that the driver has arrived.
This will be my first time seeing her other brothers since Miles broke the news to them.
I have no clue what to expect when I see them, but I’m hoping the bourbon and champagne I had stocked in the limo will be a good start to getting on their good side.
Downing the rest of my drink, I walk over to the sofa to where Savi is showing her mom the bracelet.
“Limo is here. Everyone ready?” I hold out my hand to Savi and help her up off the couch.
“We are so ready,” she says excitedly, squeezing my hand.
Locking the door behind me, we head to the black limo parked on the street. Savi peeks her head in, and the girls immediately start gushing over how good everyone looks as we all pile in.
Once we are settled, and the driver pulls away, it’s Travis who is the first to look me dead in the eye and get my attention.
“So, you want to date our sister.” He leans back and puts his arm around his wife, Sophia, who side-eyes him, placing a hand on his thigh, undoubtedly to try to calm him. “Not sure going behind our backs was the right way to do it.”
“Travis, you are not about to ruin this evening. It was my choice to keep it from you all until we had time to process. And clearly, it was the right choice,” Savi says, looking at him sternly.
She’s obviously not intimidated by his six-foot-four frame and stormy grey eyes that are still focused on me.
“Not ruining the evening, Sav, just want to see where his head is at.”
Savi starts to go at him, and I place my hand on her thigh to stop her words.
“It’s okay, sunshine,” I murmur. “He’s just looking out for you, and I respect that.”
I glance at Miles, and he’s clearly enjoying himself as he watches all three of his brothers stare me down. I’m not going to lie, having all four of the Montgomery brothers in a small space with all pairs of eyes on you at once would intimidate even the strongest of men.
“Given our history, I probably should have come to you all first out of respect, but Savi is a grown woman, and whether you like it or not, she doesn’t need your approval on who she can and cannot date.
” I feel Savi’s hand cover mine as she silently stands by me.
“But,” I say, looking at each of her brothers, “having your approval will make this a hell of a lot easier on her, and she’s all that matters to me. ”
“What if we don’t approve? Do you walk away?” Jake asks, studying me closely for my reaction.
“Jake…” Lyla looks at her husband next to her.
“I just want to hear his answer,” he murmurs, keeping his eyes trained on me.
“I want to know it as well,” Ryder chimes in as I glance in his direction to meet his intense greys that are locked on me.
“If you don’t approve, then I’ll ask Savi what she wants.
If not having your approval is too hard on her, I’ll only walk away if she asks me to.
Even though I want your approval,” I say firmly, matching their stares with one of my own, “I don’t need it.
I’ll choose Savi. Every…Single…Time. You all are like brothers to me, but Savi is my future, and I’m choosing her with or without your permission. ”
I watch a smile play on Travis’s lips as his brothers follow suit.
“Does that answer your question?” I ask, looking around at their now grinning asses.
“It does,” Travis grins. “Tells us exactly what we needed and wanted to know.”
“Which is?” Savi asks, looking baffled.
“That he has the balls to put you first,” Jake grins, taking a sip of his bourbon.
“We had to make sure you were important enough to him. Not a lot of guys would be willing to go against all four of us just to make you happy,” Ryder chuckles.
“Men,” Eve says, rolling her eyes.
“The testosterone in here is suffocating,” Olivia mutters.
“Looks like you made it past the last hurdle,” Miles grins, lifting his glass in the air. “Welcome to our family…again.”
“He wasn’t going anywhere,” Meaghan huffs. “Dad and I already gave him our blessing. You boys would have just had to get over it.”
“Agreed,” Trevor says, shaking his head at his sons.
“We couldn’t let him get off that easy,” Travis grins at his mom. “Just having some fun while we get a feel for the relationship side of Knox that we’ve never seen.”
“Glad you had your fun,” I smirk.
“We did,” Jake laughs. “I’m just glad you had the right answer because this limo ride would have gotten extremely awkward.”
Shaking my head, my lips quirk up as I settle back in my seat. The conversation around us flows easily now that they’ve gotten that off their chests.
“Glad that is over with,” Savi leans over and whispers in my ear.
“You and me both,” I chuckle softly. “We just have one more thing left to do.”
Looking out the window, I see the cameras already flashing as important guests arrive at the event. Each year, this ball gets bigger as more celebrities show up to mingle with professional athletes.
The press is already swarming the place as we pull up to the curb. I know the moment I step out with a girl on my arm that it’s going to be a frenzy. It’s not something I ever do, so I’ll undoubtedly be raising questions on the internet tomorrow with our picture plastered everywhere.
“What could possibly be left?” She laughs, peering out the window.
“Telling the world,” I mumble as I take her hand in mine. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right.
After tonight, there won’t be a single doubt in tomorrow’s headlines when it’s revealed that Knox Stone and Savannah Montgomery are indeed together.