Page 72 of Rubble (Macha MC 3)

Jupiter sensed the beginning of a slowly blooming friendship. “I help run the bakery Heaven’s Treats in town.”

“No way! We should get together sometime and compare ownership woes.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”

Delphi’s blue eyes lit up. “Great. I’ll bring French press coffee. I’ve been craving one of your chocolate croissants all week. They’re my favorite.”

Rubble pulsed Jupiter’s hand as they walked. Already the outing was a success. She’d hoped to find a friend in the same line of work and there was something about Delphi that Jupiter immediately liked.

Delphi led them through the busy bistro. “I believe the rest of your party has already arrived.”

“What’re you talking about?” Jupiter offered Rubble a perplexed glance.

Before he could answer, they stopped at a corner booth, and Jupiter’s eyes widened. Sitting mere feet away was her brother.

“Hey, little sis. I hear you’ve been getting into trouble.” Levi Quinn slid out of the booth, and it was then that Jupiter noticed a red-haired woman with sparkling gray eyes still seated.

She swallowed back the tears and rushed forward, wrapping him in the biggest hug she could muster. “I wanted to call. I really did.”

Levi pulled back, his green eyes searching hers. “Damn Quinn blood makes us a bit reluctant to ask for help, doesn’t it?”

“I thought I could handle it.” She hugged him again, her arms barely fitting around his wide shoulders and muscular frame. His job as a police officer kept him just as fit as any of Macha’s men.

“Stubborn women are my bread and butter.” He chuckled. “And speaking of women—Jupiter, this is Rayna Alley, my fiancée.”

“Fiancée?” Jupiter laughed and greeted the beautiful woman before they all squeezed into the booth together.

The evening passed in a blur. They were ordering hors d’oeuvres one moment, and the next she was licking the spoon from her crème brûlée. Too many years passed since she and Levi spoke, let alone saw each other. Her time in Texas disconnected her from her family, and it was a wrong she intended to right as quickly as possible.

Only after hugging Levi five more times outside the bistro did she agree to calling it a night. He and Rayna would be in town for another week, giving her plenty of time to catch up and get to know her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Rubble clicked his remote start, letting the engine and cab warm up while they walked along the city’s square. Snow fell delicately on the quiet street as the hour neared midnight.

“I used to hate snow.” She glanced at her blue boots that perfectly matched her one-of-a-kind dress. “I guess a lot of shit changes over the years.”

Rubble craned his neck and looked at the sky. “It does, but I’m glad. If nothing changed, I’d still be a hot-headed MMA fighter and you’d be…. I don’t wanna think about where you might be.” He pulled her closer, tucking her under his arm. “I always hated when Reaper used to say, ‘Everything happens for a reason,’ but I get it now. If he hadn’t straightened me out when he did and if you hadn’t escaped when you could, we wouldn’t be here.” He paused and met her gaze. “And I like being here with you.”

Jupiter rubbed her lips together, willing him to kiss her. For a rough-and-tumble man, he had a way with words that melted her into a puddle. “Me too.”

“Flying your brother out here was only half of my birthday surprise for you.” He glanced around then nodded curtly to someone across the square. “I’m nowhere near as romantic as some of my brothers, but I’m trying, baby girl.”

Jupiter started to respond but stopped when the whole town square lit up with white twinkle lights. She gasped, twirling around in a slow circle, taking in the beauty amid the snowflakes. When she turned back toward Rubble, she bit the inside of her cheek. Her burly biker was down on one knee in the snow.

“You changed my life, Jupiter. I was always prepared until I met you. When I saw you, my brain stopped working. All I could think about was you. All I could smell was the scent of your shampoo. All I could taste was your skin.” Rubble let out a breath, the puffy cloud mingling with her own rapid breathing. “And I don’t want a day to pass without waking up beside you. I want the chance to love you for the rest of my life.” He opened a small black box. “If you’ll let me, that is.”

Jupiter had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t in a brûlée-induced coma.Ow!No, she wasn’t dreaming. She was more awake than ever before and the man she adored was in front of her asking the question she never imagined she’d want to answer again.

“Be mine, Jupiter, because you’re everything I need to be happy.”

Staring into his one blue and one green set of eyes, she could see her future. There was excitement, adventure, and plenty of love in store with him. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Yes, a thousand times!”

Rubble hopped to his feet and scooped her off the street, kissing her until her body ached for more. Hoots and cheers echoed through the square and they both laughed.

“Damn, I almost forgot I invited the club.” He chuckled, the rumble reverberating against her chest.

“We’re Macha, Rubble, the club is our family.” She kissed his bottom lip. “And maybe someday, we’ll add to it.”

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