Page 115 of Security Breach

David cupped her nape. “Are you sure you’re okay with what happened?”

“You protected me, David. How can I fault you for that? The hunters would have killed us if you hadn’t acted in our defense.”

He kissed her again, then stepped back. “I better go downstairs while I still can. If you need me, I’ll be close.” With that, he left.

Emma closed the door to David’s room and stretched out on his bed. The scent of his soap wrapped her in comfort as she drifted to sleep.

When she woke five hours later, Emma saw that her bags had been brought from the safe house and left just inside David’s bedroom door.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, she went to the kitchen which had been turned into a war room while she slept. Wolf Pack and three of the Montgomery brothers were either working on laptops or talking on their phones. David was nowhere in sight. Was he asleep?

Elliot came toward her. “Here.” He handed her a travel mug. “Compliments of David.”

Her heart melted. David Montgomery was the best thing to ever happen to her. “Where is he?”

“Waiting for you on the deck. He thought you’d be waking up about now. David’s taking a short break.”

Emma stepped outside the back door and drew in a deep breath. After the harrowing events of the night before, the air was crystal clear and pleasant. The calm after the storm, she mused.

She found David sitting on the outdoor couch at the far end of the deck, sipping what was probably coffee from his own travel mug. A small bag sat near his booted feet.

He glanced over and smiled. “Feel better?” When Emma sat beside him, David wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“I do. I can’t believe I slept that long.”

“Tough night. Any nightmares?”

“A few.”

“About Jerome?”

She sipped her tea. “Actually, the dreams were about Marty escaping from the hospital and coming after us again.”

“He’s handcuffed to a hospital bed with Agent Mayfield in the hallway and Agent Jordan at his bedside. Marty won’t escape.”

“Is Marty talking?”

David kissed her temple. “He’s holding out for another deal.”

She frowned. “Will he get one?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it. Marty expects his family’s money to buy him out of trouble again. That won’t happen, either. However, I don’t want to talk about Marty or his posse of killers.”

“Something on your mind?”

“Several things.” He set her mug and his on the deck and picked up the bag. He reached inside and pulled out a small, velvet-covered black box with Chase Jewelry stamped across the top.

Emma’s breath caught. “David?”

“I planned to wait until the Hunt Club was behind bars to do this, but I want people to know you’re mine.” He knelt in front of her and opened the box. Three diamonds nestled in a gold band sparkled in the morning sunlight. Grasping the ring, David held it poised at the end of her ring finger. “I love you, Emma Tucker, and I want a lifetime with you. Will you still agree to marry me?”

“You are my greatest gift, David. Yes, I still want to marry you.”

He slid the ring on her finger and kissed her, a long and lingering expression of his love for her. By the time he broke the kiss, Emma’s cheeks were wet with tears. “Good tears?” David whispered.

“Very good. How did you buy the ring? Chase Jewelry isn’t open this early.”

“I called Ryan before the sun rose and told him what I needed. He agreed to go to the shop and get what I wanted for you.” He suddenly looked uneasy. “If you prefer a different ring, we can exchange it for something else.”

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