Page 43 of Untamed Billionaire
“Apparently.”
“But…that’s crazy!”
The agent shrugged again, then stepped back. Chloe looked to Rick, needing answers.
Rick shook his head as well. “Something I’ve learned while doing this job…sometimes people just don’t make sense.”
That wasn’t a satisfactory answer, but Chloe suspected she wasn’t going to get anything more.
She turned to Marco and he instantly put his hands on her waist. It was time. No, it was past time! She needed to talk with him. If she’d learned anything today, it was that life was short and could be cut shorter because of crazy people. “I need to speak with you. Alone.”
“Okay,” he replied, then looked over at Rick. “Are you okay if we…”
Marco didn’t need to finish his statement. Rick waved towards the doorway. “I would be seriously surprised if there was another murderer out there trying to kill one or both of you.”
“Don’t bet on it,” Kasim muttered, then winked at Marco’s glare while the others laughed.
Dash, Callum and Kasim all moved forward, slapping him on the back. Dash winked at Chloe and said, “Take your time. We’ll handle the party out there. We’re pretty good at faking it.”
The others laughed, but they all filed out. Chloe didn’t understand what Dash meant about faking it, but she focused on his assurance that he’d take care of the party. The other statement could wait. She needed to speak with Marco before anything else happened.
“Are you okay?” Marco asked when the door closed, leaving them alone for the first time.
“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “But I needed to say something to you.” Her fingers fiddled with the lapels of his tuxedo coat.
“I love you, Chloe,” he said softly, filling in the tense silence.
Chloe’s blue eyes darted up to his. “You do?” she whispered. “But…that’s what I was going to say to you!”
He laughed softly and pulled her closer. “I didn’t want to wait any longer. I needed to say it. I needed you to hear it from me.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” she whispered. “I need you to know that I love you.”
“We got married because we needed each other. You needed me to protect Emma.”
She nodded. “And I thought that you needed me for my contacts to help you in business.” She sighed. “Turns out, you didn’t need me at all. Your friends are significantly more powerful than mine.”
He shook his head, his features serious. “That’s not true Chloe. I need you. I need you! Ever since the first time I saw you across the room, there was something about you. Even then, I knew that you were essential to my life.”
“I am?” she breathed, sighing happily. “I’m the one who invited you to the dinner that night.”
“I know.”
“Yes, but…I didn’t know that I’d fall in love with you. I’ve never felt like this before. I love you so much, Marco!” she whispered, then leaned her check against his chest, listening for his heartbeat. “Please don’t ever die! I need you so much. Not to protect Emma. But to protect me!”
“And I need you. Not for your connections, but because I love you too, Chloe!”
Then he kissed her. In the shabby back room with scraped cinderblock walls, a bleeding arm, and wrinkled wedding dress, he kissed her, showing her how much he loved her. Her parents were being loaded into police cars, a ballroom filled with wedding guests were speculating on the day’s insanity, and she was about to trip on the skirt of her voluminous dress. And yet, nothing else mattered as long as Marco’s arms were around her!
Epilogue
“Don’t!” she warned, watching as Marco stepped through the door to their home. She recognized the look in his eyes and laughed. “Don’t you dare!”
He didn’t stop. He dropped something down on the sofa, but continued towards her. “But I love you!” he teased.
Chloe laughed, shaking her head. “Yes, I know that you love me. And I love you too! But don’t…!” She squealed when he lifted her into his arms and nibbled at her neck. Chloe laughed, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re crazy!”
“The guys are asking about you,” he announced, sitting down on the sofa with Chloe on his lap. “They want news.”
