Page 69 of It Takes a Thief
“Good question. We don’t know much about him, but he seems to know everything about us. He’s always right, too.”
“Hmm,” she murmurs, considering my words.
“We’ve been doing good stuff lately,” I add. “More like vengeful Robin Hoods than thieves. Knox wants to keep things on the up and up ever since he got together with Hunter, and I’m all for it. For whatever reason, I think The Man might be, too.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea.”
“I have another excellent idea.” I pull her onto my chest.
“Oh? And what is that?” She trails a finger around my nipple then up, scratching through the light growth of hair.
“Remember when you said you needed a fake fiancé? Well, how about a real one?”
Her blue eyes widen, and her wandering finger abruptly freezes.
“If you choose me, I promise to always be in your corner. To fight for you and guard you with my life.” She searches my face as though she can’t quite believe the words coming out of my mouth. “I’m no one fancy, but I promise to love you more than anyone else. To always be by your side.”
Her mouth opens, quickly closes. I think I’ve made her speechless, and I hope to God that’s a good thing.
“I love you like crazy, my Princess, and I want you to be my wife.” I give her a lopsided grin. “I know the competition is stiff with Elliot and all, but—”
“Shut up and kiss your fiancée,” she orders in her most royal voice.
My mouth takes hers, and I feel her melt like a puddle of hot butter on top of me. We kiss passionately and I pull her up to straddle me. “I like when you boss me around. It turns me on.”
“Good.” She gives me a naughty smile and begins undulating her hips, nails digging into my pecs. I grind up with a groan, and she sinks down on my cock, taking it all, right to the hilt.
“I think I’m going to enjoy married life with you,” I rasp as she starts riding me into an explosive orgasm.
Epilogue: Merritt
Two Months Later…
Standing in the salon while Brighton finishes touching up my makeup and Charity straightens the crown atop my head, I glance down at the sparkling diamond engagement ring on my finger. Today, I’m home, surrounded by friends and family, and I’m going to marry the man I love.
Life with Linc has been more wonderful than I could’ve possibly imagined. He makes me happier than I’ve ever been and treats me better than a princess. He’s made me his queen.
The morning after racing to Linc’s rescue and accepting his proposal, I called my parents to fill them in on all the dirty details about Jeffrey. How he’d coerced Linc into stealing the crown, set him up to be arrested, then threatened my life if he refused to fight. Of course, they were horrified. After providing the police with the evidence connecting Jeffrey to the break-in at my apartment and the attempted hit and run, he’s currently in a jail cell, without bail, and probably regretting his life choices.
When I told my parents about our engagement, they were thrilled.
“We would love for you to get married here,” my mom had said, her voice filled with hope.
Linc and I had already talked about it, and I told him it would make me happy to say our vows by the jasmine-covered cliffs on Arcadia where I’d once offered him an obscene amount of money to be my fake fiancé. I love the irony. Plus, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that there’s no place like home.
He’d chuckled and said we’d do whatever makes me happiest. Of course, my mom was thrilled and immediately started making wedding plans.
We also discussed my future as the Princess of Arcadia, and what I wanted that to be. I explained how Arcadia was home, and how I would like to spend part of the year there, but also part of the year in Denver. Linc had the brilliant idea of selecting a cabinet of trusted advisors to help us rule. It made sense since my parents wanted to take certain things off their plate, to step back a bit from the day-to-day responsibilities. I wasn’t surprised when they embraced the suggestion. It’s important to me that they enjoy life more, too.
And now I’m about to walk down to the cliffs and exchange vows with Linc. I’ve never been so nervous and so excited at the same time.
“I can’t believe Linc is getting married,” Addie says. She’s holding my bouquet and straightens the silver ribbon wrapped around light pink peonies and white roses from the garden. “Out of us all, I always thought he’d be the one to remain single forever.”
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Brighton murmurs. She steps back and nods. “You look absolutely gorgeous, Merritt. Linc isn’t going to know what hit him.”
“Thank you,” I say, my voice filled with gratitude for these women, for my family—both blood and found—and for the man I’m about to spend forever with.
The door opens and Hunter strides in, her russet-colored hair pulled back in a fancy twist and strewn with flowers. “They’re ready!” she announces.
