The Dragon's Fate - Roxie Ray Page 0,65

I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, you put syrup on my pancakes, and Mom never does.”

I snorted and Bri burst out laughing. “Kiddo, you and I are gonna get along fine.”

Out the back door, on her small patio, I put the phone on speaker but turned it way down so Hayden wouldn’t catch any of it. Bri stood close to listen.

“Okay, Porter, whatcha got?” I asked.

“Damon will no longer be a problem. His multiple restraining order violations and him carrying a gun with intent to harm are going to have him locked up for an exceptionally long time. And I think the DA is going for attempted murder, since he actually discharged the weapon.”

I looked at Bri with a big smile on my face.

Now I could focus completely on my girls and claim my family.

23

Bri

Hayden was gone for the weekend with her Aunt Bianca, and I had some plans for tonight.

In the months since Damon ruined his life and nearly ruined ours, Jace had stuck by me and Hayden like glue. He’d been beyond amazing and Hayden adored him. She’d quickly figured out we were more than just friends and had given her stamp of approval. Jace moved into my apartment not long after that, though we were talking about getting a place near the water, close to Skye’s house. We’d decided that living over the bar maybe wasn’t the best place for a young girl. I’d been thinking about asking Skye if she’d sell us her place, since they spent most of their time at their house on clan land.

Once Jace’s apartment was available, Porter had asked if he could use it. He’d been making plans to move to Bluewater, and I couldn’t have been happier for Jace to have his brother nearby. They’d really bonded since Porter helped us with Damon.

After having a long talk with my girls last weekend at Kaylee’s apartment, I knew I was ready. We’d had a girls’ night and talked about commitment, and then Skye and I had a private conversation about mating and the bite after Kaylee passed out.

And I was ready. I was tired of waiting, of trying to convince myself to be patient and make sure the time was right.

It was right. Enough was enough.

Jace was due home from doing some admin stuff at his office at the bar, and it had run on late. I was on the bed in a new negligee and had a bottle of champagne chilled on the bedside table. I played a game on my phone while I waited to hear the front door open.

I’d dozed off and jerked awake when I heard him come home. I smoothed out the blankets and arranged myself as sexily as I could with one leg crossing the other while I reclined on the pillows. The candles had burned low, but they were still lit, so I was good.

“Bri?” he called up the stairs.

“Up here.” I tried to sound sultry while hollering, but it didn’t work so great.

As soon as he walked in the door and noticed me, all that didn’t matter. He smirked with fire in his gaze. “What are you up to?”

My planned speech went totally wonky. I forgot everything I was going to say.

So, I spoke from my heart. “I love you, Jace. Hayden loves you. I don’t want to be without you, and I want to be tied to you in every way. I know we’ve talked about marriage several times, but more than that. You’ve been patient and understanding. I know I only want you. Forever.” I rolled over, spread my legs, and sat up. He made a sexy growling noise deep in his throat. “Bite me, Jace.”

He made that unbelievably sexy noise again, that deep growl that made me wet every time. A high-pitched squeak escaped my throat when he suddenly tackled me to the bed, his weight settling over me without being suffocating. He stared deep into my eyes for a long, meaningful moment.

“I love you, Bri,” he whispered.

I pulled his face down to mine, meeting his lips in a slow, lazy kiss. “I love you, too, Jace. Make me yours.”

His voice was low when he replied, “I can do that.”

The gold silk negligee I’d chosen for that night didn’t cover much, but I felt utterly bare under his intense gaze. He stripped away the awkwardness of my speech, my lack of confidence, my initial apprehension, and made me feel like the powerful woman he’d always told me I was. My fingers slowly