Protecting My Hart (Protectors Series Book 1) (29 page)

“Marry me,” I whisper against her lips. Her breath hitches and her eyes get wider.

“Are…Are you…What?” she stumbles out.

“Marry me, Hart. Be my girl forever, officially. I love you so much, that’s never going to change. You and Ethan are already my family.”

More tears fall down her face, but her lips curve up into a smile and get bigger.

“Really?” she asks.

“Really. I want to be your husband. I want you to be my wife. I want you wearing my ring. Marry me, Tesoro.”

“Yes,” she whispers, and I pull her lips back to mine, kissing her softly but passionately. Mi Tesoro will be my wife.
Fuck yes
. As much as I crave her right now, she’s too injured and needs to rest. Standing with her in my arms, I carry her back to the bed, breaking the kiss, I lay her back down gently and climb in next to her. I pull her into my arms, and she presses closer. My mind finally at ease, a peace overcoming my body, I fall asleep with my family in bed with me, safe, breathing, and alive.

It’s been a week since I said
Yes
to Slyde. He wants to get married as soon as we can and honestly, I don’t want to wait any longer to be married to him. It’s also been a week, no, longer, since Slyde and I have had sex. Slyde said that the next time he’s inside me, I will be his wife and wearing his ring. I love the idea of being his wife so much and his idea was romantic that I didn’t even argue with him. How could I? We are getting married tomorrow, that is if Slyde can make it back tonight. I wanted to wait a few days so that my bruises would heal; I told him that I wanted to look pretty for our wedding. Slyde being Slyde told me that I was beautiful regardless, but he agreed to wait the week so that we could get our marriage license, and told me to find a dress. I did argue that point, that I didn’t need a new dress but he was adamant that I buy something special. So I was sent out shopping, with Kash, and his sister Leia. I didn’t know that Kash even had a sister, but apparently Slyde has known her for years. He thought that I could use a female’s opinion, said I needed some “Girl Time”. We found a dress, and I couldn’t believe the feelings that overcame me when I saw myself wearing it. Leia declared it perfect and we found matching shoes to go with it. Leia helped me find a pretty arrangement of flowers for myself and helped me plan the small party that would follow. Apparently, this is what she does for a living. I first met Leia when she came over the day after the attack. I guess she had been out of town visiting their grandparents for a couple of months and had just gotten back when she heard what happened. She knew who I was—has known for a while. I guess it really wasn’t a secret that Slyde had been looking for me and the reasons behind it. Anyway, Leia blew into the house with several already cooked meals, started doing laundry, and brought over lots of girlie movies for us to watch. She told me that I needed a girlfriend to talk to and some girlie time especially with all these alphas hanging around all the time.
“All of you. Out. Now. We are going to watch sappy love stories and eat popcorn and pizza. So go away!”
she demanded and all three of my big, strong, alpha-male protectors did what she said. Slyde gave me a heart-stopping smile and left me alone with my new friend.
“Girl, I don’t know how you haven’t gone crazy yet with them being so overprotective. I get it, I do, but sheesh, don’t they know that sometimes a woman needs another woman around to talk to or just watch trashy movies?”
I loved her instantly.

The wedding will take place in the backyard, and Beamer, Kash and Mack will attend. Slyde also has a buddy who is a judge, Ken Baker, who is going to perform the ceremony for us. I’ve asked Leia to stand with me, and she squealed with her excitement. I think that everything is ready to go, now I just have to hope that my future husband makes it home tonight. Ethan is fast asleep in his room, and Beamer is staying in the guest room down the hall. I climb into bed with my new book, it’s appropriately titled, and this time the blue butterfly is hanging out in Vegas.

The last week has been rough. I got a call from JD the day after we rescued Hartley. He was fuckin’ pissed that she had vanished on him again. He called me back in to help with the search for her, and when I got there he was fuckin’ hell on wheels.

“God fuckin’ damnit, Slyde, where the fuck have you been?”

“Fuck man, I went home. I can’t fuckin’ sleep here with all this shit going on, and you know that. What the fuck is your problem?”

“The fuckin’ slut was practically fuckin’ gift wrapped and hand delivered to me yesterday.”

“Who?”

“What the fuck do you mean who? Hartley! That’s who! I have no fuckin’ clue how Sully got his hands on her, but I had her back. I punished her for leaving years ago and costing me a fortune. I fuckin’ tied her to the Goddamn bed and somehow she still managed to vanish again. I want her back. She needs to be taught a fuckin’ lesson, I’m gonna strip her down and tie her up, let all the boys have a good time with her. Train her for her future. We need to find her,” JD seethes, and it takes all that I have not to go postal and beat the ever loving shit out of him.

“No.”

“NO? Are you seriously sitting here telling me no, Cardoane?”

“Yeah, man, I am, because we don’t have time for this shit!”

“Excuse me?”

“Look, man, I know you want her back, she cost you big, but if you don’t fuckin’ pull your head out of your ass, we are gonna blow this deal. You got less than two weeks before we meet with the big guns, and we don’t have time to be distracted looking for some stupid bitch. If you beat her good enough, then she won’t get far. Let’s get this meeting done and deals made then we look for her. If this shit doesn’t go through she won’t be worth much to you anymore anyway. If you want, send the new lackies out lookin’. They can’t help with the meeting but they can look for her. That way we can focus on the big shit,” I declare. JD stares at me for several seconds and my heart races.

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around, Cardoane. You’re right; let’s get this shit done and then we can put our effort into finding her. She needs to know she’s mine, always will be, and that I am the only one who can decide her fate.”

“Deal, man. We will find her after we become solid.”

That was all that was said about her. We sent the lackies out looking, but even then I knew they’d never find her, and if by some lucky chance they did, they would die before they got the chance to report back to JD. My brothers are very good at what they do.

None of that is my main focus right now. I’ve just pulled into my driveway and inside my house is my future wife.
Fuck, I’m marrying Hartley tomorrow.
The only thing that could make tomorrow better would be if my parents could be here, but I know they are smiling down on us. Hart has been helping me overcome the guilt, and it’s working. This week has also been rough because I told Hartley the next time I took her she’d be my wife and wearing my ring. The only thing that has made this a little easier is that she is still recovering, but fuck, holding her close every night has been testing my control to the max. She offered to sleep in a different bed, and I shot down that idea before she could finish the sentence. She sleeps in my bed, in my arms, every fuckin’ night. End of story. Besides, waiting will just make our wedding night that much better.

“Hey, man, I wasn’t sure you were gonna make it back tonight,” Beamer states from the living room.

“Hey, bro, nothing could have kept me away. Everything been going OK?”

“Oh yeah. Hart said she has everything she needs for tomorrow and Leia of course has been around just about every day helping with whatever she can.”

“Good, I’m glad she and Leia hit it off; Hartley needs a girlfriend.”

“Yeah and Leia is a sweetheart.”

“That she is.” I grin widely at him. It’s been obvious to me at least that Beamer is sweet on Leia, but he won’t make a move. I’m pretty sure Leia feels the same. She’s strong, sassy, and smart. She can also handle the backlash that comes with our jobs. She has been around the three of us for years. My opinion is that Leia is exactly what and who my buddy needs. Just need to wake his ass up to see it.

“Don’t start, man, this ain’t about me. It’s about you. You’re the one who’s getting married tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” I smile widely.

“I’m happy for you, bro, and I’ll be even happier when this shit is no longer hanging over your heads.”

“Yeah me too. Regardless of the shit or not. It feels right, she’s always been my girl, and this is just makin’ it official so she doesn’t forget again.”

“That’s not likely to happen.”

“I know,” I respond, smiling to myself as I lock up the house.

“Get some sleep, Slyde, you become a husband tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Beamer,” I call back to him as he walks down the hall to the guest room.

I finish locking up the house, stopping to check on Ethan, who is sprawled out in bed. Every night he sleeps like this. I laugh and pull the blankets back up over him. I am so in love with this little boy. I’m so proud to be his dad, and I just hope that one day he will be proud that I am.

Hartley has fallen asleep, this time hugging her book. I change quickly and place a surprise for Hartley in the drawer of my nightstand and slide into bed next to her, removing the book and setting it on the nightstand. As I pull her into my arms, the rest of my body relaxes.

“Slyde,” she murmurs and presses closer.

“I’m home, Hart.”

“Good. Love you.”

“I love you too. Sleep, Tesoro.”

“M’kay,” she barely gets out before she’s back asleep.
I love this girl so fuckin’ much, and in less than twenty-four hours, she will be my wife. Fuck, that’s a great thought.

Warm lips glide across my skin. I inhale deeply and the scent that has become my home invades my senses. I press my lips to his solid chest, soaking up the warmth of his body surrounding mine.

“Good morning, mi Tesoro.”

“Hi.” I lean back and smile at him. He returns the smile as his lips lower and softly capture mine. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me too, Tesoro.” His hand finds mine and he kisses me again. Slyde plays with my hand, and I feel something cool against my skin.
Holy shit!
I stop breathing and become frozen. Did he just do what I think he did? Obviously feeling the reaction of my body against his, he pulls back and smiles at me while bringing my left hand into my line of sight. Sitting at the base of my ring finger is a stunning white-gold diamond ring, with diamonds running up in four lines to connect to the heart-shaped center diamond. Slyde kisses my palm as I stare at the ring. My eyes fly to his in what I’m sure is pure shock.