Page 189 of Trapped With You

Cade was away for business with Vance and Josh. I decided to visit my parents’ home with Knight so I wasn’t alone in our shared penthouse.

The summer wind blew through my long black strands as I stepped out on my balcony, the skirt of my dress flaring behind me. It was a beautiful evening with the sun slowly begging to set, colouring the sky’s canvas in remarkable shades of gold, pink, and blue.

The balustrade was overflowing with orange begonias, their sweet scent bringing forth a bout of nostalgia. An adorable pair of hummingbirds flittered around the blooms, drinking their nectar.

“What are you smiling at, Ella?”

I jolted at the unexpected, familiar voice ringing so close.

“Cade?” Frowning, I peered around, seeing him nowhere in my surroundings.

Was I beginning to imagine Cade because I missed him?

“Down here, pretty girl.” His tone was laced with mischievousness.

Oh, God. No, that wasn’t my imagination at all.

I ran to the edge of the balcony and glanced down, my mouth falling open in surprise. A chuckle escaped me when I realized he’d positioned a ladder against the structure and was slowly climbing the rungs towards me.

“What are you doing here?” My cheeks hurt from how hard I was smiling. “I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow.”

“Business concluded early.” He finally reached the last step and paused, placing his hands on the balustrade and leaning forward to kiss me. “And I was desperate to get back to you.”

I kissed him back, grasping fistfuls of his dress shirt. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” he mumbled against my lips. “So much.”

I nuzzled his cheek. “Is there a reason why you’re climbing up to my balcony like Romeo?”

“Yeah, actually, there’s a reason for it, Juliet.”

“Oh?” I hiked a brow, feeling giddy. “Tell me.”

The breeze mussed his dark hair and he pushed it back, smiling at me heart-meltingly with those dimples on display. Even after all these years together, he never failed to take my breath away.

He was so handsome, my dark prince.

“Ella, the first time I saw you standing on this very balcony, you looked like a goddess to me. I was awestruck by you. I’d never seen a more beautiful girl in my life and your sweet smiles and playfulness revived something inside of me that had been dead for so long. You brought me back to life.” He grasped my cheek with one hand. I turned my head to kiss his palm, warmth unfurling in my chest. “Falling in love with you was inevitable. I knew since we were sixteen that I wanted you to be mine forever. Every year since, I’ve fallen deeper for you. I could write an entire book to express how much I love you and it still wouldn’tbe enough to convey my feelings. You’re my ride or die, my soulmate, my pulse,mi vida. I would die for you, kill for you, live for you. In this lifetime and all the ones to come.” A tear trailed down my cheek as I watched him flip open a small velvet box, revealing a stunning orange diamond nestled in a yellow gold band. “Ella Ximena Cordova, will you marry me? Will you be my wife and make me the luckiest man on earth,mo chuisle?”

It felt like I waited my whole life for this moment.

“Yes, Cade.” I grabbed his face with my trembling hands, sniffling. “Yes, I will marry you!”

“Thank God,” he joked. “Not that I had a doubt, of course.”

I laughed, but it was watery.

He slid the ring on my finger, taking a second to admire it.

“It’s perfect. I love it.” The unique diamond glittered under the setting sunlight. I glanced at him, full of love and hope and excitement for our future. “I love you, Cade.”

He leaned forward to kiss me again. “And I love you, Ella.”

I finally got my Vegas wedding.

Cade looked devilishly handsome in a navy three-piece suit poured over his tall, muscular body, his dark brown hair styled artfully, and pure reverence shining in his sky-blue eyes.

My white dress was short, ending just above the knees, with a sweetheart neckline that awarded it an elegant and timeless look, created by Maison Sereno. My ensemble was complete with my long black hair curled to perfection, a veil with both our names embroidered, a crown and jewelry made of endless diamonds and pearls, and a white leather jacket resting over my shoulders—the same one that I’d bedazzled years ago with the wordsMrs. Cade Killian Remington.