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Margot

We’re both leaning back in our seats, full and satisfied. The steaks were perfect. He really planned the perfect date, but it’s not just the food or the ambiance. It’s him. It’s our conversation. I feel closer to him, like we truly see each other now. He’s such a good man.

You lucky bitch.

“Tell me about your childhood,” he asks.

I blink, caught off guard at the request. “Oh. There’s not much to tell.

I’m an only child, but I always wanted siblings.

My parents barely had time for one, though.

Not that they were bad parents. They loved me.

They just worked a lot. My dad was a high school math teacher, and my mom an ICU nurse.

They loved what they did, but it meant tight schedules and tighter paychecks.

That’s why they pushed me to choose something lucrative.

We didn’t vacation much, so now that they’re retired, they’re traveling the world.

I’m really happy for them, but I miss them.

I hope they come home soon. They’ll love you.

My dad’s been teasing me about becoming a spinster since I never leave my house.

He’ll be relieved. I think he just doesn’t want me to be alone anymore.

And they want grandchildren. Not that… I mean, not that I’m saying…

I mean…” I start rambling, trying to correct myself.

I don’t want him to think I’m thinking about our children.

But you are.

“They sound great. I can’t wait to meet them,” he says easily. Then adds, “and we’ll give them as many grandchildren as you’d like. The more the merrier.”

I laugh, thinking he’s joking, but when I meet his gaze, I realize he isn’t. Should that concern me?

No. He’s made it clear how he feels. He wants babies with you just as much as you do.

“So, what about you? How did your mom survive a house full of boys?” I redirect quickly. We are not talking about our kids.

“She’s a dictator. Don’t let her sweet face fool you.

She ruled with an iron fist. She had to.

Dom was bossy from birth, being the eldest. Always ordering Roman and me around.

Which, of course, made Roman furious, and he’d take a swing at Dom.

Roman spoke with his fists. I’d either heckle or join the fight.

Bash was too young to be in the mix. Dom’s a year older than me at thirty-five.

Roman’s a year younger at thirty-three. I’m in the middle.

Bash’s only twenty-six. A ‘happy surprise,’ as Mom says. ”

He smiles.

“He definitely got more of her attention. We were terrible influences. One time, when we were around seven, eight, and nine, we wanted pellet guns. We’d seen Dad’s real ones and wanted to be like him.

Mom said no, so we decided to get them ourselves.

The only problem? We had no money. So, we started a business.

We told the kids at school we were campaigning to improve the cafeteria food and needed to ‘ interview chefs,’ which obviously required funding.

With my charms, Dom’s leader aura, and Roman’s intimidation, classmates were happy to invest.”

My jaw dropped.

“I basically created a Ponzi Scheme. The day Mom came home to find us bloodied and bruised, with black eyes and broken nose, she had some questions.”

“The other kids beat you up?” I gasp.

He scoffs, offended. “Of course not. No one could touch us. We were big for our age, and we stuck together. We got the guns and took them out to test, but a few stray pellets hit us. I couldn’t tell you who shot first, nor who was hit first. Some altercations followed.

The whole story came out, and she was livid.

She made us return the guns, give back the money, publicly apologize, and even write letters about how bad we were. It was mortifying, but effective.”

I double over, laughing.

“She’s amazing. I’ll have to take notes.”

“She knew what she was doing,” he says fondly.

“What about Bash? Was he as bad?”

“Worse. He was too behind us to fight with us, but he was smart. Manipulative, even. Especially with Mom. He was her golden boy. We protected him at first. He was nerdier and a few classmates caused him some trouble. We taught them their place. No one messes with a Montclair. But then he started playing chess while we were still learning checkers. He learned to hack around age eight. He used it to his advantage. I won’t say we were scared of him, but…

Freshman year of high school a kid kissed Bash’s girlfriend.

Bash exposed everything about him. Texts, therapist’s notes, his parent’s divorce, even his fucking porn preferences. The kid had to change schools.”

My mouth drops. “He seems too nice. I can’t picture him doing that. ”

“Oh, sweetheart. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Bash’s lethal with a computer. I’m lucky to have him at Syndicate Enterprise.”

“Why did you start that instead of just working for the Syndicate?”

“Dom was always meant to run the Syndicate. He’s powerful.

He can lead an army. Roman’s too hotheaded.

Bash’s intelligence would be wasted in boardrooms and galas.

We wanted a legal front to clean up the family name.

And I love what I do. I’m good at it. Charming clients.

Building the company. It’s so successful, most of our net worth comes from it now. ” He says with pride.

“I’m impressed. I’m sure all that money and power has won over many women.” I wink teasingly, but the energy shifts.

His grin drops.

“There are no other women.”

I scoff. “Please. You’re thirty-four. You’ve been doing this for over a decade. There’ve probably been hundreds. Come on, I told you all my dating horror stories.”

He sighs. “I won’t lie and say I’ve never been with anyone else. But it was never emotional. Strictly physical. If they caught feelings, it ended. I don’t even remember their names. They were nothing. They weren’t you. ”

His eyes are sincere, but my doubts crawl in.

“How can you expect me to believe that? That you’d pick me over models and heiresses? I love myself, but let’s be real.”

“Because I do! I’d pick you every time. You’re everything, Margot.

My life revolves around you. I don’t measure my days by time anymore; I measure them to you.

It isn’t morning until I’ve brought you your coffee.

It isn’t night until I’m back beside you.

If I don’t know where you are, I can’t function.

I listen to your narrations at work just to have a piece of you.

I can’t eat dinner if you’re not with me.

I can’t sleep unless you’re pressed against me.

I need you. Maybe more than I need air. You consume me.

Margot, you are my future. I won’t even consider any future where you’re not by my side.

There’s no version of life without you. You will be my wife.

We will have as many children as you want.

We will grow old together. And we’ll even die together, because if you go first, I’ll follow.

I won’t spend one second of this life without you. Don’t you get that?”

His voice is loving and frustrated and raw.

I sit in stunned silence, my heart racing, trying to process what he’s telling me. He said we are real last night, but this? This is undeniable.

Do I feel the same?

Yes, you dumb girl. You love him.

Love him?

I don’t… I couldn’t…

But don’t I?

He’s my whole world. I’m my happiest when I’m with him. I count the minutes when we’re apart. I only feel safe with him nearby. He brings me joy. Real joy.

The sound of his chair scraping back jolts me. He must misread my silence as rejection. His chair crashes behind him as he shoots to his feet.

Is he leaving?

I open my mouth to stop him, but instead of walking away, he circles the table, pulls my chair out to face him, and drops to his knees.

He cups my face, his palms warm on my cheeks. He leans in until we’re only a breath apart.

“Damn it, Margot! I love you. With everything I am, I love you. I’ve known for so long, but I held back because I didn’t want to scare you.

But all that did was give you room to doubt us.

So, no more holding back. I love you. And you’re going to get every ounce of that love whether you want it or not.

You may not love me yet, but I’ll earn it.

And once I have it, I’ll work every damn day to deserve it.

Do you understand, sweet girl? I love you. ”

His voice shifts from stormy to soft, from desperate to devoted.

And just like that, I know.

With every fiber of my being, I know.

“I love you too, Matty.”