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Her gaze drops to our intertwined fingers. “Only if you promise me that anything you’re planning—because I know you are—won’t hurt you or separate us. Swear we’ll be together.”
Not wanting to make a promise I’m unsure I can keep, because I’ll always protect her first, I go with deflection. “When did being together become so important?”
She narrows her eyes, and I try to hold a straight face, but a smirk sneaks through.
“Really?” She cocks her head. “You need your ego stroked right now?”
My smirk turns into a full-blown grin. “It feels pretty good, yes.”
“Fine. In New York,” she says with a hint of irritation.
“You want to be together?”
“Jackson,” she warns.
I push my luck further and ask, “Like together together? Forever together?”
“I’m not speaking to you.” She releases my hand and faces the window. “I know what you’re doing, O’Reilly. You’re avoiding my promise.”
Damn, she’s good. Not only did she catch me, but she also didn’t makemeany promises. “I was only clarifying your stipulations.”
She doesn’t answer, and the pilot comes on overhead, announcing we can move around the cabin.
“Come snuggle with me, and we’ll talk.”
She removes her seat belt, and as she’s climbing into my lap, the lights go out.
I recline my seat and hold her to my chest. My lifeline. My anchor. “I promise I’ll do everything possible to avoid putting myself in danger or separating us.”
Her fingers play with my hair. “Then I promise I will not cooperate with Ricky unless you’re in danger or we’ll be separated.”
I shake my head. “No, Aurora. He’ll leverage that against you.”
She yawns, and her warm breath tickles my neck. “What are you worried about? Specifically.”
“Kyle is focused on you and the baby. Ricky allowed him to hurt you, allowed photographers Kyle hired near you, and Ricky went with you to New York. Why? He wants to use you as bait when he’s proven he can’t keep you safe? No way.”
After a long wait, during which I’m almost positive she’s fallen asleep, she agrees. “I won’t cooperate without discussing it with you or Ethan.”
“He’ll never let you do it, no matter what.”
“I know.” She yawns again, her voice distant. “But he’ll fix it.”
He may try, but this might be something not even Ethan Blackwood can fix.
I kiss her temple. “Sleep, baby.”
She breathes evenly, and I stare at her utter perfection. Heart-shaped face, Cupid’s-bow lips, freckles, thick lashes caressing her cheeks… All of it, perfect.
“You broke my heart today,” I whisper, brushing my fingers through her hair. “I love you more than life itself. You’re the light to my darkness, the only thing that keeps me fighting the demons in my head.” Tears prickle my eyes. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for those sleepless nights and the days you didn’t feel like enough. I promise you.”
Reaching into my bag, I fumble for the velvet box. One-handed, I manage to get the ring out and slip it onto her finger. A smile plays on my lips, picturing the fit she’ll throw when she wakes, just as long as it’s not the ring she throws.
I try to stay still,not to wake Aurora, but with my sore-as-fuck ribs, I can’t help but adjust her in my lap. Plus, I only have one usable hand, making it difficult to play on my phone. I’m surprised I lasted nearly two hours.
“Sorry, I’m hurting you.” Her bottom lip sticks out in a pout, her eyes half-lidded with sleep.
She’s adorable.