Page 34

CHAPTER 33

JAXSON

“I still can’t believe General Parks is okay with this,” Carver says, disbelieving.

Carver and I are putting the finishing touches on my surprise for Aurora. I add the bows while Carver secures the knots in the ribbons, and we step back to admire our handy work.

“Why wouldn’t he be?” I counter.

“I’m just saying, she could do better.”

I flip him off. “They should be here any minute.”

“Calm down,” he says. “Everything’s ready.”

I pace back and forth, rolling my shoulders to release the tension. My palms are sweaty, and my heart is beating so fast I swear it’s going to explode out of my chest.

Car doors slam, and Aurora’s laughter filters through the windows.

“What are we doing here?” I hear her ask.

“You’ll see,” Bennett answers.

Bennett and Hudson were tasked with bringing Aurora here tonight, while Thomas stayed behind with General Parks to question Lace more about the Krukov family and the locations they have set up around the world. Those locations are being filtered to the FBI, CIA, and other agencies worldwide to recoup the victims we couldn’t recover.

The door flings open, and Aurora saunters through. Those mesmerizing emerald eyes search me out. She runs and jumps into my arms, fusing her mouth with mine. She grinds down on my dick, and we both moan.

Someone clears their throat, killing the moment. Aurora glares over her shoulder at Carver who holds up his hands. “Wasn’t me. Although I told you assholes to fucking quit doing that in front of me.”

“I have a surprise for you,” I whisper in her ear.

She shivers. “What kind of surprise?”

“Some men give their women chocolate and flowers,” I explain. “I prefer sacrifices.”

I place my hand in the middle of her back and lead her into the main room where Cal Jameson and Patrick Tyson are wrapped like birthday presents hanging from hooks. I put a bow on top of both of their heads, and Carver tied ribbons around both of their middles. Cal and Patrick’s eyes widened in surprise at seeing her. They protest through their gags, but no one steps forward to remove them. Their words are pointless.

Aurora doubles over laughing. “Omigod, this is the best,” she wheezes. It takes her a few minutes to regain her composure. She wipes away a few tears that escaped. “This is the best gift ever.”

“I’m not done yet.” I wink.

She bounces on her feet and claps her hands. “Did someone bring my duffel bag?” she asks. “Damn, I would’ve brought Lykos if I thought he was going to get a chew toy.”

“Next time,” I promise.

Hudson hands her the duffel bag, and she takes out her favorite pistol.

Carver smirks. “I can’t wait to see what she does this time.”

Aurora aims and fires until her clip is empty. She drops her gun into her bag and zips it back up. “All done!”

We stare at her in shock.

“That’s it?” Carver rants. “All that work, and you just shoot them?”

Aurora shrugs. “They’re dead, aren’t they?”

Carver kicks a rock like a child. “Wasn’t what I was expecting.”

She walks over and hugs him. “Next time, we’ll do something real exciting, I promise. Maybe something in the grenade family.”

Carver’s face lights up. “Hell, yeah!”

I haul her toward my chest. “No… No way. Absolutely not.”

She bats her eyelashes at me and sticks out her lower lip. “Please,” she begs.

Fuck me!

“Fine,” I give in.

“Yes!” Carver high-fives her.

“Let’s go,” Bennett calls. “More to see.”

We follow him and Hudson outside and around the back of the warehouse where I stashed her other present the day before.

Aurora crosses her arms and raises her brow. “What’s this?”

I grip the tarp and yank it off, revealing a pristine 1967 Chevy Impala. Aurora gasps and covers her mouth. I drop to one knee and open up the tiny blue box holding a two-carat princess-cut diamond surrounded with emeralds that match her eyes.

“Aurora, you’re so fucking strong. I’m in awe of you every day. I want to wake up to your beautiful smiling face every morning and fall asleep to your smart, sexy ass every night. I love you more than anything in this world and would do anything for you. Will you marry me?”

Tears flow down her cheeks as I wait for her response. I swallow and hold my breath.

“Put him out of his misery,” Bennett hollers.

“I think he’s gonna pass out,” Hudson adds.

“Shut up, assholes,” Aurora sasses and drops to her knees in front of me. “A million times, yes.”

I wrap her in my arms and drag her into my lap. I slip the ring on her finger where it will stay for the rest of our lives.

“I fucking love you.” I crash my mouth to hers.

After a few passionate moments, we stand and brush ourselves off while everyone takes a moment to congratulate us.

Carver holds out his hand. “Congratulations, fucker. You hurt her, and I’ll kill you.”

“Ditto,” Hudson and Bennett say together.

“You realize that she could probably kill me before any of you get to me, right?”

“Oh, yeah.” Carver whistles. “Good luck, man. Sleep with one eye open.”

Aurora elbows him in the gut, and he doubles over. “ You better sleep with one eye open.”

He gives her puppy eyes. “But I’m your favorite brother.”

“You’re my most annoying brother.”

“I resent that!”

I drape my arm over her shoulder. “Ready to go home?”

“Keys, please,” she says excitedly.

I hand her the keys, and she rushes to the driver’s side. As she slides in behind the wheel, she yells, “Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Bennett asks, confused.

I shrug. “I don’t know, but I’m gonna have fun finding out.”

I climb in the passenger seat and hold on for dear life as Aurora cranks the engine and peels out.

There will never be a dull moment with her.