Page 67 of Give Me Forever Love

“I don’t feel like playing.”

“Who’s playing?”

I groan as I dart around the corner. He reaches out for me, but I take off running into the living room. I’m caught before I can make it around the couch. The sofa hits my back before I can think, and I laugh out loud because damn him.

“Gotcha,” he says, smiling down at me. I blow my hair out of my face.

“What’s new?”

He smiles before giving me a kiss. Letting go, he holds my hand in his, bringing it to his lips and looking at the ring on my finger. “I love you. I can’t wait until I can call you my wife.”

“Ditto,” I reply.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Bryce

We’re seated at Claire and Austin’s table eating as they all make small talk and catch up. I’m bored out of my fucking mind and would rather be lying on the sofa watching an action film with K beside me. But sometimes in a relationship we have to make sacrifices, right?

I pop a spoonful of green beans into my mouth.

“So, how’s the car collection going?” Austin asks.

“Fine,” I reply, reaching for my beer.

He nods, and I can tell the man is trying to come up with something to talk about with me. Kat kicks my foot under the table. I turn and look at her. Her eyes widen. I narrow mine as I take a sip of my drink.

You know what? She wants to talk about something, how about we talk about the fact we’re engaged? How about that? I put my beer down on the table and clear my throat.

Leaning back in my chair, I suck my teeth and hang my arm on the back of K’s chair. She gives me a sideways glance, but I ignore it.

“K and I are engaged.” Her fork makes a loud clank when it hits her plate and Claire chokes over her water.

“Really?” K says, her voice low boiling with anger. I’d implode if looks could kill.

But I don’t regret what I said…not yet anyway.

“It needed to be told,” I say to her.

She shakes her head and exhales before sliding her plate away and putting her face into her hands.

“You’re engaged?” Claire says. Her eyes go to K’s hands, but Kat isn’t wearing her ring, which pisses me off. I took my time picking out that ring. It’s a declaration of my love for her, and the fact she’s hiding it and our engagement from the two people she loves almost as much as me… well, it’s a punch in the gut.

“Yes,” I say.

Claire looks at Austin who raises his brow. “Why haven’t you told us?” she says, looking back at K and me.

K still has her face in her hands, so I speak for her.

“She was worried you wouldn’t be happy about it.”

Claire swallows, fussing with her napkin on the table.

“She was right to assume that then,” I say. I look from her to Austin. “Can I ask why you two have an issue with our relationship?” I hold up my hand. “Wait. No need to explain. I get it. You think I’m bad news. You think I’m going to fuck this up. Well, let me tell you something. I love this girl more than life. I’d never do anything to hurt her. That shit that happened with Cain and Red, that’s all in the past. I’m a different man today.”

“It’s not that we have a problem with y’all being together, Bryce. Hell, I’m cheering for you both. We’re just looking out for Kat,” Austin says.

“There’s no need to do that. I can look out for her.” K still hasn’t said anything. She’s pissed, and it’s obvious as she drops her hands and sits back in her chair. Her face is flushed, and she chews on her bottom lip.

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