Page 165 of Wilde and Deadly

Knew it wasn’t a question of when.

Knew it wasn’t about finding the right moment.

Becausethiswas the moment.

Before he could second-guess himself, before he could stop to wonder if he should wait?—

He dropped to one knee right there in the middle of the WSW hallway with Rowan’s entire family standing at the elevator doors.

Rowan’s eyes widened in shock. “Davey?—”

“Marry me.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, her fingers trembling where they still fisted his shirt. “That’s not asking. And you don’t even have a ring.”

“Will you marry me?” He grinned up at her, unapologetic, reckless, and madly in love. “I’ll get you a hundred rings later if you want, but I’m not waiting another damn second to make this official. You could run away from me again.”

She shook her head once like she couldn’t believe this was happening.

For half a second, Davey braced. This was the moment—the one where she could run, where she could push him away again.

But she didn’t.

“Not this time. I’m done running.”

The final piece clicked into place. Every chase, every fight, every damn mile between them had led to this. And now she was right here, choosing him. Choosing forever.

Davey reached for her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before holding it between both of his. “I love you, Rowan. I want every fight, every challenge, every stubborn second of every single day for the rest of our lives. And if you say yes, I promise—” His voice caught in his throat, and he exhaled. “You’ll never have to doubt how much I love you. Not for one goddamn second.”

Her lips parted, her eyes glistened, and she looked at him like he was the only thing in her world.

“Yes.” She huffed out a laugh. “Like there was ever another answer.”

A grin split his face just as she dropped down to him, her knees hitting the floor, her hands cupping his jaw. She kissed him like she wanted to steal the very air from his lungs.

And just as his hands slid around her waist?—

“Hell, yeah!”

They jerked apart, startled, to see the entire Bristow family still standing at the elevator doors.

Rue bounced on the balls of her feet, grinning.

Gabe looked half-pained and half-amused.

Audrey sniffled and swiped her hand under her suspiciously bright eyes.

And every single one of them had just witnessed the whole damn thing.

Rowan let out a horrified groan, burying her face in Davey’s chest. “Oh my God.”

Davey just laughed, tightening his grip around her waist.

And then Rue plowed into them, wrapping her arms around them and nearly knocking them to the floor. “Welcome to the family, Wilde!”

epilogue

The scotch satuntouched on the edge of the desk, the amber liquid catching the glow from the desk lamp. Elliot Wilde didn’t reach for it.

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