Page 124 of Big Bad Bully
“Your place?” My mom’s brows fly up. “Both of yours?” Props to her for not gaping about the limo part.
“Well, it’s Billy’s place. It’s in Brick and Madi’s building.”
“It’s our place,” Billy says firmly. “Aubrey’s painting murals on my walls.”
My mom’s jaw drops. “Honey! How long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell us?”
I glance at Billy. He’s stiff, coming off as aloof, as usual, but I can tell he’s trying. “It’s recent. Billy hired me to paint the murals and things developed from there.” I reach for his hand, and he immediately catches mine.
Madi, who is tucked against Brick’s side, smiles. “It’s going to be amazing. I can’t wait to see. Let’s go!”
We walk toward the limos, but Billy pulls me toward his Porsche. He opens the passenger door for me. There’s a little jewelry box on my seat tied up with a bow.
“I got you a present,” he says. “But if it’s not perfect, we’ll keep looking.”
It’s perfect. I know it’s going to be perfect. Billy pays attention.
I sit in the car seat and wait until Billy’s settled in the driver’s seat to pull the end of the ribbon. The ends fall open, and I pry open the lid.
It’s three rows of pink diamonds. Simple. Stunning. Totally me.
“I love it.” I check his face. “Lab grown?”
“No blood diamonds for my wife.”
His wife. Hearing him say those words sends frissons of excitement through me.
“Is this an engagement ring?” I ask, trying it on my ring finger.
He nods. “Marry me?”
He already knows the answer. He already demanded forever.
“Yes.”
Billy
I unlock the door and pick up Aubrey to carry her across the threshold.
She laughs. “I think you’re supposed to wait until we’re married.”
“Am I? I can’t get all your human wedding traditions straight.” I set her down as the elevator dings announcing the arrival of our guests.
While we were away, the caterers decorated the apartment with silver and black balloons and set up a few high-tops around the room covered in white linen and silver confetti.
“Oh my God! What is this?” Aubrey squeals when Pepper greets us at the door with a graduation cap and tiny cape that represents a gown. “You’re so freaking cute!”
She scoops up the puppy and Pepper frantically tries to lick Aubrey’s face.
“Who is this cutey?” her mom coos. She sends a curious glance my way, like she’s trying to reconcile why or how a man like me would pick a Shi-poo for a pet.
“He’s Aubrey’s,” I say.
“He’s ours,” she insists, the way I insisted the penthouse was ours.
“You two have a dog?” Caroline sounds incredulous. She rubs both of Pepper’s ears at once, telling the dog how cute he is.
“Yep. Co-parents.” Aubrey thinks it’s hilarious to say that. I hope she finds it equally entertaining when I put my real pup in her belly.
