Page 33 of The Billionaire's Bargain

"Yes," I breathe, the word escaping before I can second-guess it.

His body goes completely still. "Yes?"

I nod, tears spilling over. "Yes, I'll marry you."

The smile that breaks across his face is like nothing I've ever seen—raw and triumphant and so full of joy it steals my breath. His arms wrap around me, lifting me off my feet as his mouthfinds mine in a kiss that feels like coming home and embarking on an adventure all at once.

When he sets me down, he keeps me close, as if afraid I might vanish. "I promise you won't regret this. I'll spend every day making sure of it."

I lean into him, marveling at how perfectly we fit together despite all our differences. "Just promise you'll be patient with me. This is all...a lot."

"We have all the time in the world." He brushes a strand of hair from my face. "And I'm not going anywhere."

For the first time, I truly believe him. Whatever comes next—whatever challenges we face as we build this improbable life together—he'll be there. And so will I, not because I need him, but because I choose him. Because some risks are worth taking, some bargains evolve into something far more valuable than either party ever anticipated.

I think of how this all started—a simple transaction that somehow turned into the greatest gift of my life—and I laugh softly against his chest.

"What is it?" he asks, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Nothing," I murmur. "Everything. Just...thank you for waiting."

His arms tighten around me. "I would have waited forever."

And standing there in that sterile hospital hallway, wrapped in the arms of a man who has upended my entire existence, I know with bone-deep certainty that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

epilogue

. . .

Five years later

Alexander

I watchmy daughter sleeping in her princess bed, her dark curls splayed across the pillow just like her mother's. Five years. Five years since I claimed Alice as mine, and every morning I wake up stunned that this is my life now. The shy waitress who spilled coffee on my custom suit gave me something I never knew I wanted—a family. And tonight, I plan to tell her I want to make it bigger.

"Daddy?" Isa's voice is sleepy, her little hand reaching out from beneath her sparkly pink comforter. "Is it morning?"

"Not yet, princess." I lean down and press my lips to her forehead. "I'm just checking on you."

She smiles, eyes already drifting closed again. At four years old, she's the perfect blend of Alice and me—my determination, her mother's gentleness. The combination is lethal. I've never stood a chance against either of them.

I close Isa's door softly and pad down the hallway of our penthouse. Five years ago, I promised Alice I'd take care of her family. It was the easiest promise I've ever made. Her mother, Diane, occupies the east wing guest suite—though it stopped being a "guest" area long ago. The best specialists in the country have her cancer in remission and her autoimmune condition is well-managed now. Down the hall, her brother Toby has his own space. He's seventeen now, excelling in school with the tutors I hired, already talking about college applications.

And Alice...my Alice is probably in our bedroom, waiting for me.

The kitchen light is still on. I find Diane sitting at the island counter, sipping tea.

"Alexander," she smiles, looking up from her book. "Checking the perimeter?"

I chuckle. She teases me about my nightly rounds, but she understands. When you've lived without, you guard what's yours with obsessive vigilance. "Just making sure everyone's tucked in."

"Isa went down okay?" She looks better than she has in years. No more hollow cheeks or shadowed eyes. Alice cried the first time her mother was strong enough to cook Sunday dinner for all of us.

"Out like a light after two stories and a song." I lean against the counter. "Toby home?"

"Got in an hour ago. That study group at the library." She gives me a knowing look. "I think there might be a girl involved."

"Smart kid." I push off from the counter. "Need anything before I head up?"

---