Page 32 of Unleashed
I hold my breath.
"What is it?"
He grins. And it's the wrong grin. The one that makes my blood cool. "I don't think my dad believes it's as real between us as I need him to. So I've called for a family dinner. Tonight."
I open my mouth to speak and then snap it shut. Looks like my line-dancing plans are out the window.
"Okay…"
He reaches into his jacket, pulls out a black velvet box, and rests it on the desk between us.
"Hudson, what is?—"
"An engagement ring, Harper. Tonight, I’d like to propose to you in front of them. I need you to say yes. To declare your undying love for me."
I feel sick.
The room tilts. My hands grip the arms of the chair. Every organ in my body rejects the sentence he just said, because even though I know it's fake—even though Iknow—the wordengagedandHudson Blakein the same sentence feels like swallowing glass.
"Engaged?" I choke out.
"Why do you look so pale? It's not real. I'm not making you actually walk down the aisle against your will."
"What if this doesn't work? Then you will ask me to actually marry you. I can't do that, Hudson. My family will kill me."
I mean, Ace will kill me. It also might kill him if he thought I was marrying someone else. But six years is a long time. Maybe I don’t know who Ace is anymore. And I really don't know where the line is between protecting him and destroying any chance of ever getting him back.
That hope of one day the stars aligning for us would be over. If I marry another man, Ace will never forgive me.
"We won't announce it anywhere. Just play pretend with me for a while? Do this, then you can go to New—" He pauses. Frowns. Snaps his fingers, trying to recall.
"Falls. It's New Falls, Hudson. You probably should try to learn something about me if you really want to make them believe you love me."
His face softens. Just for a second, and then he flops back into his chair and drags both hands down his face.
"This is a mess, Harper. I am sorry."
I nod. Take a step closer to his desk. "I'll do it, Hudson. Okay? You give me my shot to prove I can get you the story that Gianna wants."
He taps his fingers on the desk.
"She wants to know what’s in Arizona that has the Greeks so interested. She wants to know who they're working with. What their army looks like. What secrets they're hiding. She believes they're trying to take over Arizona as a foothold into then taking over LA." He pauses. "It's a fucking spiderweb of dangerous men, Harper. Are you sure?"
I don't hesitate.
"Yes. I'm sure. I'll be discreet. I'll use my trusted contacts. If they're going to hurt the people of New Falls, I'll have the whole town to protect me. Don't worry."
I'll have the whole town, because I have Ace. Whether he likes it or not, that man will always protect me. The same way I will always protect him.
That's not a choice. It's not a habit. It's just the truth.
He slides the black box across the desk to me. "So. Will you marry me, Harper Jones?"
I laugh. It comes out watery, but it's real. "You remembered my last name. That's a good start."
"Harper Blake sounds pretty good, too," he says.
I swallow hard.
