Chapter 27 #2
Of course my parents didn’t like Easton. He stood up for me. He refused to laugh off their behavior and cruel comments toward me like Bradford had done when we were dating.
“I love you, Rachel. Please, take me back.”
I stared in horror as Bradford went down on one knee. I glanced around, making sure nobody was paying attention.
“Get up. Get up, now,” I hissed
Bradford shook his head and latched onto my hand. “You still have the ring, the ring I want you to wear for the rest of our lives. Please, agree to marry me, Rachel. I promise I’ll make you the happiest woman if you’d do me this honor.”
“Bradford, get the fuck up right now.”
“Not until you answer me.” He locked his jaw, acting like I was the one making this encounter difficult.
“Would you like to do the honor of answering him, or can I have the pleasure, Trouble?”
Easton’s voice enveloped me. I closed my eyes, hoping I wasn’t dreaming, as his hot body pressed against my back and his cologne, spicy, dark, and him, tickled my nostrils. I was weak because I leaned, back letting him hold me.
Fuck, I missed him.
A tug at my hand had me opening my eyes. I let out a short laugh. I’d forgotten Bradford was even there.
“I’m still mad at you so I think I’ll do the honors,” I said, not turning around, even though I wanted to with all my fractured heart.
He kissed the side of my neck. “As the lady wishes.”
He kissed my neck again and I shivered.
“Why the fuck are you kissing my fiancée?” Bradford asked, finally getting up off the floor.
“I’m kissing her because she isn’t in fact your fiancée. She’s mine. And I think this piece of shit is yours.” Easton tossed the ring he took off my finger all those months ago.
I shot him a look, once again forgetting about Bradford. “I haven’t talked to you in a week and now I’m your fiancée?”
Bradford shoved the ring in his pocket, his face bright red with fury.
“Rach,” Bradford whined.
We ignored him.
My neck was turned since my body was still plastered against his.
“Well, I figured after sufficient groveling I would wear you down. You must realize your soon-to-be fiancé isn’t the smartest man, as my mom’s voicemails keep reminding me.
Trouble, you’ll have to help me navigate this world, I’m too simple to do it without you. ”
“How much groveling are we talking? A whole week, Easton. My heart was shattered for a whole week.”
“Trouble, I’m a fucking idiot. Forgive me and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Bradford, who once again I’d forgotten existed, decided to speak. “You need to get your hands off my fiancée. Her parents told me all about how you treated her. Although, they never mentioned you were stupid.”
Easton and I both glanced at Bradford. He was seriously confused, and we both burst out laughing.
“Bradford, leave and never come back. You were right, I wasn’t exciting enough for you. Well, I found my excitement.”
Easton smirked down at me. “Your exciting fiancé?”
“Groveling, lots and lots of groveling,” I answered, and tacked on, “with ice cream, a hot bath, foot rubs, and orgasms.”
“You don’t drive a hard enough bargain. I’m going to have to teach you how to negotiate,” Easton whispered into my ear.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to learning.”
“Rachel, what are you doing? You’re mine. We’ve been together since college, you can’t throw me away for someone you’ve just met.”
“She can. And she will.” Easton laced his fingers through mine, pulling me away. “Leave, Bradford, before I get you arrested. And if you ever go near my fiancée again, I will not play nice.”
“Rachel, what are you doing?” my mom asked, cutting through the still oblivious crowd.
“Bradford called us and told us how sorry he was. We told him you would listen to him. Don’t be stupid and throw it away for him.” My dad gestured to Easton.
“Excuse me, that’s my son and future daughter-in-law you’re talking to.”
I whipped my head around to see Kelly Ann, Robert, Jules, Cole, and Aurora standing around us staring at my parents and Bradford.
“I’m sorry?” my mom asked incredulously.
“You should be,” Kelly Ann replied. “Easton is my son, and if he pulls his head out of his ass and your amazing daughter, who you do not deserve, decides to accept his proposal, she will be my future daughter-in-law.”
“I refuse to let my daughter marry that ruffian. Bradford just made junior CEO of his company,” my dad crowed like he said something special.
The thing was my parents never asked Easton what he did for a living, and I never told Bradford who Easton was, since it was Aurora’s business we were bidding for.
As much as Easton and I had to talk about, I was going to give him this victory. He was practically vibrating behind me, ready to reveal his true identity.
Not only was I going to let him tear down Bradford, I was going to accept his proposal, after his groveling, and orgasms, of course.
“Fuck, Mom and Dad, did you hear that? Junior CEO.” Easton smirked, squeezing my hand.
My parents and Bradford had the sense to look uncomfortable, realizing they may have made a mistake.
“Hi, nice to formally meet you. I’m Easton Brooks and this is my best friend, and business partner, Cole Fox, of the Brooks and Fox group. You may have heard of us. We did just make most watched millionaires for the sixth year in a row.”
Bradford paled as my parents stared wide-eyed.
“I thought his last name was Easton. You never told me he was Easton Brooks. Why did you always call him Mr. Easton?” Bradford pointed at me with an accusing finger.
Easton growled, and goosebumps enveloped me at the sound. “Haven’t you ever heard of a nickname?”
“Mr. Easton is a nickname?” Bradford asked incredulously.
“He also likes it when I call him ‘sir,’” I added helpfully.
“Mr. Brooks, I’ve studied your business model since I was in college. I applied numerous times,” Bradford groveled, ignoring me completely.
“I see our HR department is doing a dazzling job weeding out poor candidates,” Easton said in a deadpan voice.
“Yes, we should look at giving them a raise,” Cole added a little more salt in the wound.
“I agree,” Jules, Aurora, Kelly Ann, and I said at the same time.
Easton kissed the top of my head. “Now, being that I’m actively pulling myself out of the doghouse, I’m going to take my lovely fiancée to watch the rest of this spectacular show she and her amazing best friend put together.”
“Rachel, why didn’t you tell us who Easton was?” my dad asked, following behind our little group.
“Because I didn’t feel like it. No, that’s not true. Because I didn’t fucking feel like it. Sorry for the f-bomb. I’ll call you later, Mom and Dad. For some strange reason I do love you.”
Easton grabbed me around the waist and pulled me to the side of the crowd. He leaned in close to my ear and asked, “What the fuck is an f-bomb?”