Page 82 of Ruthless Riches
Other killers were like Sascha. They did terrible things and they deserved to be punished for that, but they were genuinely remorseful, and they didn’t necessarily want to do the things they did. Some sort of external force drove their heinous actions—severe mental illness, a serious injustice that the person felt a need to respond to with violence because they saw no other options, or a desire to protect loved ones who were under threat.
I didn’t hate people like that. I only hated what they did.
A year and a half ago, I didn’t think like that at all. I thought murder was murder, with no gray areas, and I thought the punishment should be uncomplicated: an eye for an eye. That was why I took Alexis so long ago—I wanted to kill her for what I thought she’d done.
I was in a dark place back then, destroying myself with hatred. Detaching myself from any sense of humanity. Slowly turning to stone.
Alexis brought me out of that dark place with the inextinguishable light that existed inside her; the same light that gave her the hope and courage to search for justice for her father long after everyone else had given up. She fell for me and refused to give up on me, even when my pain made it seem impossible for me to give or accept love, and in doing so, she unlocked something deep inside me that allowed me to feel emotion beyond anger or despair for the first time in years.
She always said that I’d saved her, again and again. That might be true, but she’d saved me too. From myself, from the person I was twisting into. She’d taught me so much. Helped me grow into a better man. Made me feel like I deserved love.
Every day now, I woke up next to her, feeling so fucking grateful that I learned the truth about her before it was too late. So fucking grateful that she’d understood my motives and forgiven me for every single heinous thing I’d done to her—even the things I couldn’t forgive myself for.
“It looks like we can board now.” Alexis pointed down at the nearest dock. The enormous Avalon Spirit sat there, gleaming brightly in the dark, choppy water.
We grabbed our luggage and boarded. Ten minutes later, a horn sounded to announce our departure from the terminal.
I took Alexis’s hand and guided her toward the nearest seat as the ferry slowly slogged out of the harbor. “Wait,” she said, pulling on my hand. “Let’s go and stand outside for a while.”
“Are you sure? It’s pretty cold.”
She nodded. “I always get nauseated when I’m on any kind of boat. Fresh air helps.”
We headed up the nearest stairs and went outside. The sky was thick with gray clouds, and the air smelled fresh and salty. Alexis stepped up to the white railing that ran along the edge of the upper deck and tilted her chin upward, face settling into a dreamy expression as she drew a deep breath. “That’s better,” she murmured.
I stood next to her and slung an arm around her shoulder, letting her lean into me for warmth again.
By the time the ferry made it out to the Pacific, the upper deck was crowded with people. A blonde woman in a thick white coat almost collided with a man coming in the opposite direction as she walked past us, and she accidentally bumped my shoulder as she stepped to her left to avoid him. She offered me a brief apology before continuing on her way.
Alexis watched her go with one eyebrow raised. “I guess the rumors are true, then,” she said.
“What rumors?”
“You didn’t recognize her?” she replied, looking at me with wide eyes.
“No. Should I?”
“That was Reese Swift. She’s in all those superhero movies. Remember the one with the Ice Warriors?”
“Vaguely.”
Alexis lowered her voice. “She’s been trending on Twitter for the last few days. People have been saying that she got engaged to the director of her last project last weekend, but neither of them have made a statement about it. I’d say it’s true, though, judging by that ring on her finger.”
I turned to look at the blonde woman as she made her way over to a seat on the deck. Alexis was right—there was a large diamond ring on her left hand.
“It’s gorgeous. Looks vintage,” Alexis said, following my gaze. “I’m surprised she can lift her hand, though. That stone is so big.”
I grinned and turned my gaze back to the ocean so Alexis wouldn’t see the devious expression in my eyes. She had absolutely no idea that there was an even bigger diamond hidden in my luggage. No idea that I’d secretly wrapped a piece of string around her ring finger while she slept a few weeks ago so I could measure it and make sure I got the right-sized band for her.
I was so fucking ready to make her mine forever, but I couldn’t propose now. Not when she was about to bury her father. I had to hold my horses and wait for the right moment to present itself instead.
A nice, sunny day that matched her light and beauty would be perfect.
Alexis cocked her head sideways, eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked up at me. “Why are you smiling so much?” she asked in a teasing tone. “Thinking about tossing me overboard and trying your luck with Reese Swift instead?”
I laughed and ruffled her hair. “I just like the view,” I said, dipping my chin toward the water. “If you squint hard enough, you can see Avalon in the distance.”
Alexis peered at the horizon. “Oh. Yeah. I never noticed that before.”
She snuggled into me again, lips curving into a contented smile. I wanted nothing more than to keep that expression on her face forever.
As we drew closer to the island, Alexis turned to look up at me again. “You asked if I was ready to go back earlier,” she said. “I forgot to ask you the same question. Are you ready to go back?”
I smiled and nodded, wrapping my arm around her even tighter. “As long as you’re there with me, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
