Page 56 of His Forever

I leaned back in my chair and eyed her. “Did you just propose to me in the most queenpin way possible?”

She grinned and shrugged. “Not intentionally, but... yeah, I guess I did.”

I shook my head, and my expression turned serious. “No.”

Her smile faded, and her brow furrowed. “Wait, what?”

“I said no.”

Brynn’s face fell, and her usual confidence faltering.

“Can I ask you something now?” I ventured, my voice quieter than before. I didn’t wait for her to answer. “Marry me,” I said, my voice firm. “Be my wife like you should’ve been over twenty years ago.”

She blinked, and I caught her off guard. “Leo,” she laughed nervously, “I literally just asked you the same thing, and you said no.”

I shrugged and kept my eyes on hers. “I guess I’m okay with you being a queenpin, but I’d like to be the one to ask you to marry me. Call me old-fashioned.”

Brynn rolled her eyes but got up from the couch and made her way over to me. I swiveled my chair toward her, and she stepped between my knees, sliding into my lap with ease. Her hands rested on my shoulders, and her eyes locked onto mine, her smile slowly returning.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice full of emotion.

I raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

She nodded, laughing. “Yes, times one hundred. Yes, yes, yes!”

I didn’t waste any more time. I pulled her in and kissed her, sealing the deal right then and there. Her lips were soft, and her hands slid up to tangle in my hair as we deepened the kiss. I felt the world tilt, everything outside of us fading away as I held her tighter, my heart pounding in my chest.

And then, right in the middle of it, my phone rang.

Brynn reached for it, still half in my lap, and answered without hesitation, putting it on speaker. “You’re talking to the future Mrs. Leo Banachi,” she called, her voice teasing.

Apollo’s voice crackled through the speaker, sharp and urgent. “Bristol’s headed down the driveway like a bat out of hell. We can’t see anyone with her, but this doesn’t feel right.”

My body tensed.

“Oh shit,” Brynn gasped.

“We’ll be right there,” I shouted into the phone, heart pounding.

Brynn was off my lap in a flash, the playful moment replaced with something far more serious. I grabbed my gun from the desk drawer, tucking it into the waistband of my pants. “Stay here and lock the door,” I ordered, turning to her.

Brynn shook her head, defiant. “Hell no. I’m going with you.”

I didn’t have time for this. “Just do as—”

“No.” Her voice was firm, her eyes unwavering. “You go out there, so do I. We’re in this together.”

Our gazes met, and I saw the fire in her eyes—the same strength, the same resolve I’d admired. She wasn’t backing down.

I nodded, relenting. “Fine,” I muttered, grabbing her hand as we moved toward the door together.

Whatever was coming, we were ready for it. Together.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Brynn

Leo and I bolted from the office, our footsteps pounding in sync as we made it to the front door just as Bristol’s SUV screeched to a stop at the bottom of the steps. My heart raced, not from the run but from the sight of her behind the wheel, face streaked with tears.

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