Page 79 of Promise of Punishment

I almost drop Bear. “How old are you?”

“I’ll be twenty-one in two weeks.” A Cheshire grin eases across her face. “Then I can really have fun.”

My eyes widen. “Is it even legal for you to work here?” With how Wes is about rules, I doubt he’d let someone underage serve alcohol.

“Noah stops texting on her phone to blurt, “Hellfire isn’t a nightclub. More like a party BnB.”

“I’ve been here for two months,” Ashlyn says. “Before this, I worked at a seafood bar not far from here. That’s where I heard about Hellfire—one of the servers told me. I took a chance.” She shrugs. “Camila liked my references and hired me.”

“Right.” I nod, remembering you only have to be eighteen to serve alcohol in restaurants and bars. Duh. “I have even more questions for you now.”

“They’ll have to wait.” Noah tucks her phone in her pocket. “Jace is coming, and we have to hit the road. But you can always invite us back for a sleepover.”

“Oh my gosh! That would be so fun. I’ll plan it for when Wes is out of town.” The idea of living here doesn’t seem so overwhelming, knowing I can have my friends visit.

“You can always visit our loft in Boston too.” Noah smirks. “You can do whatever you want now. Don’t forget it.”

She’s right. I can, but I keep forgetting because I couldn’t do anything before.

28

DID YOU MAKE HIM SUFFER?

Fable

Ever since Noah left, I’ve been in Wes’s suite, holding Bear on my lap in a chair near a tall window. It overlooks the backyard and the Hudson River. Tree branches dance in the breeze as evening claims the sun. A dozen staff linger in the mansion, yet I feel utterly alone.

The door opens, and Wes walks in, spotting me at once. He looks like sin and royalty in his fitted dress pants, button-down shirt with the collar open, and suit jacket.

Those bluebell eyes find mine, and the energy in the room shifts. My heart swells, and my mood lifts instantly. “You’re home!”

“I texted half an hour ago that I was on my way.” He scans the small table for my phone. It’s upside down, and the ringer is off.

“I missed it.”

“I missed you.” Eating up the space between us, he strips off his jacket and tosses it onto the nearby chair. I love the way he looks at me, like I hold the key to his happiness.

The darkness that hardened him when we reconnected that first time at Mr. Ashford’s, er, Lachlan’s is gone. He lowers to his knee and takes my hand, kissing the top.

“I’ve been meaning to do something properly,” he begins, a twinkle in his eyes. His citrus spice scent surrounds me in the best way. “Fable Sarina Farrington…”

I don’t know what shocks me more, that he’s proposing or that he knows my middle name. I never told him.

“You saved my life in more ways than one,” he goes on. “You rescued my heart when it was too black to feel love. Your kindness and ingenuity kept me from dying. Your wit kept me company while I healed. Your beauty stole my breath the first time I saw you, and again when fate stepped in and put you in my path for a second time. I’ve had to fight for everything I have now, and I hope I’ve earned the right to have your hand in marriage, because nothing would make me happier. Before you, the world felt monochromatic, but with you, it’s filled with color. I’ve never belonged to anyone else, but I promise to be yours forever. You are my savior. Will you give me the greatest honor of all and let me be yours?”

Tears sting my eyes. “I’ve never been anyone’s savior.”

“You’ve always been mine.” He pulls a royal blue box, the words ‘Garrard, London 1735’ etched in the leather. It creaks when he opens the lid.

Bear flinches at the sound and notices Wes. He stretches and turns, rubbing his nose on the box.

“Hello there, little guy.” Wes pets his head. “What do you think? Do you think your mummy will have me?”

I’ve been so engrossed in them I haven’t yet looked at the ring. Tucked in royal blue velvet sits a gold ring covered in sparkling diamonds. A halo of smaller diamonds surrounds a large pear-shaped citrine stone.

“It matches your eyes,” Wes says. “I remember you weren’t quite fond of their color when we first met. This is to remind you of how beautiful they are to me because they belong to you.”

More stinging tears. I sniffle, trying to keep it together. Bear’s ears go back with annoyance. He jumps to the floor, headed for his bed under the other chair and privacy.