Shadow game Page 0,151

me. To have children with me. Do you feel the same way?"

There was a moment of silence while she stared up at him. He felt the response in her body, the slight movement to try to get free. "That's not fair, of course I want those things with you, I just don't know if it's possible. I have to find out what's in that room, Ryland. There's so much I still don't know. I have to search for those women. I made a promise to my father and I intend to keep it."

Ryland's hands tightened on her shoulders, gave her a little shake. "I need to know it wouldn't matter to you, Lily. Tell me it wouldn't. We can keep that damn room and read every file, watch every video, find those women together and make certain their lives are good. Tell me nothing we find will ever tear us apart." He framed her face in his hands, his body blanketing hers. "If you can say that to me, and mean it, then I say keep the room. We may need his expertise. Who knows, our children may be the real thing. But if you can't, Lily, if you can't look me in the eye and mean it, I swear I'll destroy everything myself."

Lily's vivid blue gaze drifted over his face, studying the intensity of his expression, the steel in his glinting eyes. A slow smile curved her mouth. She leaned into him, kissed his nose, his mouth, each eye. "Do you know how very silly that threat is? If I wanted to keep the room intact, I'd simply lie to you."

He shook his head. "Lying isn't part of your makeup. You either want me for all time and it matters to you the way it does to me, or you don't. I want that commitment from you. All of it, Lily. What's in that room won't matter if you love me the same way I love you. I don't want less. I don't mind signing some prenuptial agreement dealing with your damned money and I don't mind not understanding what you do half the time. But I want to know, not guess, know that you love me and want me in the same way I do you."

She stiffened, her heart suddenly racing. "You're talking about leaving me. That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

"Lily, I'm saying I'm willing to take on your promises to your father. I'm willing to live here with you if that's what you need to be happy. I'm willing to make Arly and Rosa and John my family. All I'm asking in return is the same thing from you. Take on me and my family. Those men out there who have nowhere to go without help. Feel about them the same way I do. Lily, make a commitment. Is that so damned hard?"

He saw it in her eyes first. Deep down, where it counted. His heart nearly exploded right out of his chest. His mouth found hers and took the words from her, swallowed them so they could find their way to his soul. Lily. His Lily for all time.

She laughed and kissed him back, locked her legs around his waist to hold him deep inside her.

Ryland lifted his head alertly. Swore. "We've got company coming." He rolled off of her quickly.

Lily clutched the sheet up to her chin. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the children aren't in their beds sleeping." The door to the room burst open and several of the men strolled in.

"What in the world is going on? Don't you people have something to do besides harass me in my own bedroom? You happen to be interrupting a marriage proposal here." Lily tried outrage, hoping they would all get the hint.

Kaden shrugged carelessly. "Everyone knows you're going to marry him. He always was a little slow getting around to the actual doing."

"I asked her a dozen times," Ryland protested. "She was the one hesitating."

Lily glared at Ryland. "Why didn't you lock the door?"

"I did lock the door," he said. "That doesn't slow any of them down. Our children are masters at breaking and entering."

"Great. And did no one teach them the fine art of knocking?" She switched her glare to the men and treacherous Arly, hoping to wither them on the spot.

Several threw their hands up as if for protection, grinning like apes as they did so.

"Ian's got a bad feeling," Kaden announced when the laughter had died down. "He thinks something's going