Page 56 of Shark 2

“Yes,” Jong-min answered with a nod.

“Finally,” Reed exhaled.

“This is great news!” Grant exclaimed. “We finally have a pack business like we always wanted.”

“We’ll have to come up with a restaurant name,” Jong-min said, “but that can come later.”

My eyes opened as I started coming up with names to share.

“You know, if you advertised that you two, former pop star idols, are running the restaurant, you’d get a lot of customers coming. Your former fans would come in droves for a chance to be served food by you,” Jong-kyu said, a smirk on his face.

He was clearly trying to make me jealous or mad. He obviously didn’t know me.

Sitting up, I said, “That’s a great idea! You could even help out with the tourism in this area by drawing in more visitors from your homeland.”

Jong-kyu scowled, his plan thwarted by my acceptance.

“Oh!” I gasped and looked at Jong-min, who was smiling at me. “Do you have any of the outfits you two wore while on stage? You could wear one of them during the grand opening to really draw in customers! Even do photo ops! There’re so many ways you could use your former fame to help the restaurant really take off. I mean, having four hot males like you there will be enough of a draw, but wearing suits or tuxedos or things like that would increase it even more.”

“Being unmated would be the ultimate draw for their fans,” Jong-kyu said and folded his arms over his chest.

“Speaking of that!” I said, stood, and went to the side table where I had stashed the presents. Walking to each of my four men, I set a present in each of their laps.

“What is this?” Grant asked, bending forward to look at the small wrapped gifts.

“I, Kassidy of Atlantis, tiger shark, pool shark, and outcast, officially ask for Grant, Reed, Jong-min, and Jong-hyun to accept me as mates. In your laps are your mating gifts, if you accept.”

Despite my flawless delivery, wide smile, and straight back, it was all false confidence. There was still a huge part of me that worried they would decline.

All four of their eyes widened.

Jong-kyu’s mouth had dropped open in disbelief. He said, “This is not how it is done! They are supposed to ask you.”

I scoffed. “This isn’t the old days.”

My nerves grew as all four looked at each other and at the presents on their laps, but still didn’t respond. Standing there, I felt my heart start to sink. Were they really not going to accept? After everything we’d been through?

Jong-min stood, set his gift on the coffee table next to his slice of cake, and walked out of the room.

Despair coursed through me, my heart felt like it had fallen through my stomach and through the floor of the house. I rarely cried, but tears threatened as my eyes burned.

After everything we’d been through, they still weren’t ready? Even after the poker tournament and all the things that had tested us there and shown we’re better together? They all swore they loved me, that I was the only female they had eyes for. So why were they hesitating?

What was it about me that they still had doubts? Was it my job? Was it because of my infertility? Why?

Why was I still not good enough?

I took a step back, ready to flee, but Jong-min returned with a small box in his hand with a teal bow atop it.

Stopping in front of me, he held out the box on an upturned palm. “We were going to give this to you later, but now seems better.”

As I reached for it, my hand shook. Jong-min noticed, scowled, and gently grabbed my hand with his free hand. Squeezing, he whispered, “Open the box, Kass.”

Box in my hand, I untied the teal bow and opened the box. My eyes widened and I gasped as I stared at the ring inside.

“We accept your mating offer and offer you this ring as our mating gift,” Jong-min said softly.

Tears fell as the whirlwind of emotions over the last minute hit its crescendo. “When you left the room I …”

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