Beat of the Heart (44 page)

Mia turned to bring her hands to my face, cupping my cheeks. “That’s not it at all. Any woman

would be honored to marry you. This is about me and all my hang-ups. All this seems too good to be

true—
you
seem too good to be true. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop where I wake up to realize

this isn’t real.”

I couldn’t fight the anger building within me at her response. “Dammit Mia, how many times do I

have to prove that punishing me for your past isn’t fair?”

With a wince, she replied, “I don’t know…And I’m sorry. I truly am.”

“You know the four months I spent apart from you were miserable. Before you, I thought I’d been

in love with other women before. When they left me, I was desolate. But it was nothing compared to

what I experienced after you left. I was fucking obliterated.”

“So was I,” she admitted.

I threw up my hands. “Then what the fuck else is there to say? We’re miserable when we’re apart

and happy when we’re together.”

Tears pooled in her eyes, and I shook my head. “No more bullshit about how I’m too good to put up

with all your hang-ups and blah, blah, blah. Just marry me. You can’t worry about the future—we’re

not even promised tomorrow. Just here and now. When I see Bray and Lily together and Jake and

Abby, I’m envious of what they have. I want that with you and only you.”

Tears spilled over Mia’s cheeks, but she didn’t bother wiping them away. “Oh AJ,” she murmured.

I pulled her into my arms before taking her face in my hands. “It’s been a whirlwind, but I know

that I love you. I think I loved you from the moment you tied me up in the limo. I’d never had a woman

challenge me like you did.”

“You really want to marry me?”

“I sure as hell do.”

She laughed and swiped the tears from her cheeks. “Then where’s the ring?”

“I’m so glad you finally asked.” Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a small, velvet box. When I

cracked it open, a sob choked off in Mia’s throat. The tears flowed so freely she had to blink several

times.

“That’s Mama Sophia’s ring,” she whispered.

I nodded. “The base is. I had them reset it in platinum, and then I added the other diamonds.”

“But how did you—”

“Your dad sent it to me.” I smiled. “Along with his permission to marry you.”

Mia staggered back, and I had to grab her shoulders to steady her. “When? How?”

“I had Duke give the ring to Rhys to bring when he flew down today. And then I asked him

everything when we skyped a day or two after we got here.” I winked at her while my mind went

back to the day I’d called Duke to ask him if I could marry Mia. I’d been such a nervous pussy I had

been shaking when I did it. I mean, the man had every right to take my balls for knocking up his

daughter. That in itself was scary enough, but this motherfucker was a former NFL football player

with friendly ties to people associated with the mob. I was ready to shit my pants or go into Witness

Protection by the time he answered the phone. But he’d surprised the hell out of me, though, by

breaking down and crying like a pansy himself.

I gripped Mia’s chin in my fingers, tipping her head up to look at me. “He was more than happy to

give us his blessing, not just so Bella could be legitimate. But because he wanted his baby girl to be

happy.”

A sob echoed through Mia’s chest before she really let loose with the tears. “Oh AJ,” she

murmured.

I took the ring from the box before taking her hand in mine. “Emiliana Sofia Martinelli, you are the

most stubborn and infuriating woman I’ve ever met. Even though you drive me crazy and sometimes I

want to bang my head against a fucking wall when you’re being difficult, there’s no one else in the

world I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

She laughed at my words. “Thank you…I think.” As I knelt down before her, she stroked my cheek

with her hand. “Alejandro Joaquin Resendiz, they broke the mold after they made you. Every

stereotype I had about men, you managed to break, and I thank God for that. I’ve given you such an

uphill battle, but you always came back for more. I never thought I could love again or be loved, but

you proved me so very wrong.” She stooped over to bring her lips to mine. “Thank you for loving

me.”

“It’s my pleasure, amorcito mio. To me, you’re perfect.” I kissed her again before I slid the ring on

her finger. She held it up to examine it against the twinkling lights.

“This is so beautiful.”

“A beautiful ring for my beautiful girl.”

“Thank you, AJ. Thank you for everything.” She smiled down at me. Grabbing me by the lapels of

my tux, she pulled me up off my knees. “Remember our first day in the carriage when I said we

needed to get a hotel room?”

A smirk slunk on my face. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Tonight I want to make love to my fiancé, and we know it isn’t happening at your abuela’s.”

“I couldn’t agree more. No sneaking around tonight or roof-top quickies for my future wife.” I ran

my thumb over her lips. “I want to spread you out on the bed beneath me, so I can make love to you

nice and slow.”

A shiver rippled through her. “Let’s go now.”

I chuckled. “Okay, come on.”

On aching, swollen feet, I tagged along behind AJ to our third Grammys after party of the evening.

Even though I was dead tired and wanted nothing more to crawl into bed, I didn’t dare go back to the

hotel room to crash. AJ was on such an adrenaline high since it had been a huge day for Runaway

Train, and I wanted to be along for the ride as his supportive fiancée.

Earlier in the afternoon, I’d felt like I was Cinderella in a fantasy land. Outfitted in a glittering red

maternity gown that AJ proclaimed to be sexy as hell, I’d sat in the third row of the Staples Center

surrounded by A-list musicians. We’d started off flying high when Abby and the boys of Jacob’s

Ladder had won the Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group. Then later I shed tears of elation and pride

when Jake and Abby won Song of the Year, especially knowing how it had been written about Jake’s

late mother. When it came time to announce the Best Pop Duo/Group performance, I held AJ’s hand

as he nervously tapped his leg. He’d been on edge all afternoon, but he could barely contain himself

in his seat now.

When they had announced Runaway Train as the winner, I thought he would keel over with a heart

attack from the excitement. Watching him take the stage with the guys had me grinning until my cheeks

hurt and clapping until my palms were red and stinging. Brayden had been shoved in front of the mic

to do the thank yous, and he did an amazing job. In the end, the guys racked up Best Pop Album as

well.

Once the ceremony had ended, we’d been shuffled back into the limo we’d arrived in to start

making our way to the after parties. I became immediately star struck at the label party when I saw

who all was milling around. Even as the fiancée of a famous musician, it was still hard to believe this

was now my life. Bella got in to the festivities as well as the later it got, the more she kicked the crap

out of me.

After dancing for hours, we’d just left the Chateau Marmont hotel for a smaller party when AJ eyed

me in the limo. “Do you think you need to go back to the hotel?”

“No why?”

“You look a little tired.”

Cocking my head at him, I asked, “Is that a nice way of saying I look like shit?”

He laughed. “Is that the pregnancy hormones talking?”

“No, it isn’t. Besides, Bella is having fun. She’s kicking up a storm.”

AJ’s hand came to rest on my enormous belly. “Man, she’s really going at it, huh?”

I grinned. “Yeah, she is.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

I leaned over to kiss him. “I wouldn’t miss one minute of this amazing night with you.”

AJ brought his hands up to stroke my face. “I love you, Mia.”

“I love you more.”

Once we got inside the hotel, AJ and the others got drinks while I made my way to the hors

d'oeuvres. Bella usually went on a kicking frenzy when she was hungry, so I was trying to appease

her. Not only were ribs hurting from her exertions, but my back was as well.

I’d just finished my plate when AJ held out his hand. “Wanna dance again?” Even though I would

have preferred sitting at the table and staying off my ballooning feet, I smiled at him and slid my hand

into his. Halfway through the second song, I knew I’d made a mistake. The dull ache that had been

building throughout my lower back and into my abdomen grew more intense.

With a gasp, I pulled away from AJ. “I think I need to sit this one out,” I shouted over the thumping

bass of the music and roaring of the crowd.

AJ’s dark brows knitted together as he brought his hand to my abdomen. “Are you all right?”

Forcing a smile to my lips, I bobbed my head. “I just need to sit down and get some air.” When he

started to lead me off the dance floor, I pressed a palm against his chest. “No, this is your night. I can

make it to a table just fine.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I pressed my lips to his to silence

him. “I’m fine.” I motioned toward the crowd of people who were waiting to talk to him. “Go, have

fun.”

“Okay. Love you.”

As I weaved in and out the throng of people, I thought I would never make it outside to the veranda.

People milled around, mainly smoking, but it wasn’t nearly as crowded as inside. My heels clicked

down the tile as I tried to get away from the clouds of smoke. I sighed with relief when I found an