Chapter 54 Royal
ROYAL
GO AND HURRY BACK
I’m desperately trying to make myself go. But I’ve run through my ‘one more thing’ checklist with Leticia almost twice now.
Leticia cocks a brow, showing she’s frustrated with me double-triple-checking that she knows how to navigate the computers we’ve worked on all week together.
“Royal, I promise. I know how to do the things and get in touch with you. Valor also knows how to do all these things and can help me if I get stuck.” She waves her phone. “I’m also quite competent at using this to call Valor and Antonella.”
But . . . no objection comes. I nod and give her another kiss. “Alright, be safe. Don’t overdo it. I know you’ve never broken a bone before, but it’s a lot of healing. You should sleep a lot and get rest. Mom can handle cooking, and we have people who do the cleaning.”
If we stayed, we’d make sure she wasn’t doing unnecessary things with the injury. My wolf points out, but I shove him away, trying to concentrate and make sure Leticia promises to behave.
“I know. I’ll be bored. It’ll be fine.” Leticia pushes my suitcase with her leg, and it rolls toward me without any effort. “Go so you can hurry up and come back.”
I want to argue with her that the contract is for two weeks, so it doesn’t matter how fast I get there. I’ll be back at the same time. But I don’t.
Begrudgingly, I take the suitcase up the stairs, Leticia’s little footsteps following me. I roll it across the floor and wave to Mom, who is reading a cookbook at the kitchen counter.
“Fly safe,” she murmurs, then leans toward the cookbook as if a closer proximity will make it make more sense to her, or maybe she needs reading glasses.
I want to ask, but a little tug comes to the back of my shirt.
I turn around, and Leticia looks up at me with her big, beautiful blue eyes. “Ask me again?”
My heart flutters a beat, and from the corner of my eye, I catch Mom giving up discretion and turning to shamelessly watch us.
She wants us! My wolf doesn’t seem surprised, more so excited by the question.
I pick up her left hand and squeeze it gently. “Leticia Alexandra, will you marry me?”
“Yes.” She nods, a soft smile lighting up her features even through the bruising.
I cup her chin and gently kiss her with as much love, commitment, and what I hope feels like a promise to keep her safe. If a kiss could talk, then this one should tell her how much I love and cherish her.
When we part, her eyes are a little glossy, and she wraps her good arm around me, holding the one in the cast and sling between us. I want to squeeze her tight but refrain to protect her from any more injury.
“Royal,” Dad says from the door by the garage, “are we leaving or not?”
“Ian, so fucking help me, shut up,” Mom snaps. “They just got engaged.”
That doesn’t end the moment, but Leticia and I break out in a laugh. Somehow, each of us finds it funny.
“What do you mean engaged?” Dad says over our ruckus. “He already married them.”
“It doesn’t count. There were no witnesses.” Mom scoffs, but excitement laces her voice. “We can actually plan a wedding this time. The pack will be thrilled.”
Leticia’s eyes go wide.
I lean forward and whisper in her ear, “It’ll be fine. I promise. We can talk all about it when I come home. Love you, gorgeous.”
“Love you too.” She pecks my cheek, and I force myself to move away from her.
My wolf drags his feet, trying like hell to hold me back. But this is the price I have to pay to keep her. I’ll fulfill that promise.