Page 82 of Lords of Ruin: Savage

“Vincent?” She sits up, setting her book aside. “What?—”

“Let’s get married.”

The words tear out of me, raw and desperate.

She blinks. “What?”

“Soon.” My voice is hoarse, rough with everything I can’t fucking say. I move closer, my chest tight. “I don’t want to wait. I don’t want to give anyone a chance to think you’re not mine.”

Her brows knit together. “Vincent, what’s going on?”

I sit on the edge of the bed, gripping her chin between my fingers, tilting her face up. “Say yes.” My thumb traces the curve of her jaw, my throat tightening. “Just say yes, baby.”

Her lips part like she’s about to argue, but I don’t give her the chance. I press my forehead against hers, breathing her in, my free hand curling into the sheets beside her hip.

“I can’t lose you,” I whisper, and it’s the closest thing to a confession I’ll ever allow myself. “I won’t.”

“I can’t lose you either.”

“So marry me.”

“Yes.” She smiles so bright I almost blind myself looking.

“In three days.” I insist.

“Okay,” she giggles, biting her lip for a moment. “Okay.”

31

WILLOW

“I told you!”Rudy squeals, running his hand across a variety of wedding dresses. “Super hot, super rich secret boyfriend.”

“How was I supposed to know you were telling the truth?” Sophie exclaims as she pulls a dress to her chest and pouts. “This is thirty thousand dollars worth of the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“Ashley, add that dress to the tab,” Vincent says as he wraps his arms around my waist, heat engulfing me along with the fluttering of my core as I inhale him, cedar and that distinctly masculine musky scent.

“Vincent-” I sigh.

“Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, princess.” He kisses my temple. “You know that.”

Sophie lets out a noise somewhere between a squeal and a gasp, her hands clenching the fabric of the dress like it might disappear at any second.

"Okay, I take back every time I ever called you dramatic," she breathes, staring up at Vincent with the kind of awe usually reserved for royalty. "Becauseholy shit, Willow."

Rudy grins, practically vibrating in place. "Itoldyou," he sing-songs, clutching another dress to his chest. "Secret billionaire fiancé! You should see hishouse, Sophie. It’sobscene."

Vincent chuckles, his grip on my waist tightening like he knows I’m two seconds from crawling under the nearest display rack. "He’s exaggerating."

Rudy turns to him, deadpan. "Am I?"

Before Vincent can answer, the door swings open, and Jasmine strides in, her long braids bouncing with each step. “Sorry, sorry, traffic was a bitch—” Jasmine pauses, eyes narrowed on Vincent, “What are you still doing here?”

“Don’t worry, I don’t want any bad luck.” Vincent kisses my temples as Jasmine points a finger to the door.

“Out, Beaumont!” Jasmine taps her foot impatiently when a girl enters the room behind her.

“Shit, honey,” she giggles, her southern drawl coating the room thick like honey. “You gonna poke my eyes out.”

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