Page 75 of Inked Persuasion

“I missed you, too,” she said as she stood in front of me, so close I could feel the heat of her. I reached up and pressed my thumb against her lips. She moved back, flinching.

I cursed. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I am. Hotch…Hotch must have seen you do that before, and then he did it to me.”

I growled, anger bubbling up. “If I see him, I will kill him,” I ground out.

“I think you’re going to have to stand in line behind the rest of my family,” she said on a sigh. “And everyone will have to stand behind me.”

“Let’s not talk about Hotch anymore,” I said, not knowing if that was the right thing to say at all.

“I don’t want to talk about him either, other than to say that while I thought I was doing an okay job of saving myself, I’m so glad you showed up. Beckett told me how you figured it out, about everything. I’m just so glad that you were there.”

“If you thank me for saving your life, I’m going to get angry,” I growled.

“Well, you’d better stay angry,” she said softly. “Thank you. Thank you for being there, thank you for always being there. I’m so sorry you got hurt.”

“Not your fault. And you don’t get to thank me again. You’re the one who made sure he couldn’t shoot me in the chest.”

“And you’re the one who ensured he couldn’t shoot me in the head,” Annabelle said, and then her eyes widened as she put her hand over her mouth.

I shook my head, a grim sense of humor sliding over me. “What the hell is wrong with us?” I asked her.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

I held out my hands, and she slid hers into mine and stepped forward.

“My five minutes are almost up,” I whispered.

“Then I’d better be quick,” she said.

“I love you,” I whispered. “Always. I always have. Maybe just as friends before when we were younger, but it’s turned into something more. And I loved you when I told you to leave. I was wrong. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“Don’t. No more anger or pain over what would have or should have been. We can’t do that to ourselves. Not anymore.”

“Okay, then. Let’s think about you and me. I love you so fucking much.” Her eyes filled with tears, and I cursed. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m going to cry, and you can’t stop me. Because I love you, too.”

“I don’t know how that makes sense,” I said on a laugh. She rose to her tiptoes and kissed me softly. I cupped her face, grateful when she didn’t flinch, then kissed her again, both of us being so careful with each other.

“Marry me,” I whispered, shocking even myself.

She blinked at me, moving back. “What?” she whispered.

“Marry me. I love you so fucking much, Annabelle. We’ve already been through the worst together. I want you in my life. For now and always. I know it’s too soon, I know it’s insane, but I want you as my wife. I know you married my brother before so you’d be marrying into the family again, but we love you, Annabelle. All of us. I want you to be a Queen in truth.”

She blinked away tears and looked at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my parents in the doorway, both of them wide-eyed as they stared, love in their gazes.

“It’s too soon,” Annabelle whispered, and I tried not to let the blow show.

“Okay, but still be with me,” I whispered.

“I’m not finished yet,” Annabelle chided. “I love you. It’s too soon. But yes, yes, I’ll marry you.”

I nearly fell to my knees, and when my dad scowled, even as his eyes were filled with happiness, I let Annabelle help me to the couch. Then she leaned over and kissed me softly.

“I love you, Jacob Queen.”

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