Page 73 of Devil’s Promise

Angel takes it. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Mason answers, his gaze sweeping over all four of us. “Any of your other brothers married?”

“No,” Angel answers. “I’ll be the first.”

“But not the last,” Killian chuckles, the sound so unexpected, my eyes widen. “My brother Gris got engaged before me, but I beat him to the altar.”

“You’re rich as fuck,” Rock blusters. “Why would you want to be married?”

All three men laugh, making me blink in surprise.

But it’s Rush who answers. “You’ll know the answer to that when you know. No one can explain it to you.”

“Sounds like I’ll never know, then,” Rock huffs.

I actually appreciate his honestly, and quietly, I agree. Rock is not the settling down sort. That’s a man who should never be unleashed on a woman.

Rush eyes me, the intensity of his stare making me dip my chin. Deference is always the safer option.

“Promise,” he murmurs, making my chin lift again. “Before we all storm your wedding, I’m just curious. Do you wish to be married today?”

I look at Angel. He told me not to speak in front of my father, but what about these men?

He gives a subtle nod.

But I still don’t answer right away. “I’m curious,” I ask, my hand tightening on Angel’s arm in a small gesture of comfort. “Will my answer change your actions?”

“Absolutely.”

Angel rumbles a low growl, and I find myself placing my other hand on his arm. He stops, looking down at me.

I think even I’m surprised that my touch has that effect on him. But I feel the shift in the air as the men around me focus on me.

I’ve spent a lot of time in rooms with large groups of men. Men who’ve even admired my beauty.

But this might be the first time that I’ve felt something akin to power. Like my words matter.

I look back at Rush. “Yes. I want to marry Angel.”

One of Rush’s brows cocks. “Why?”

“What the fuck?” Knox asks, pushing partially in front of me. “Why are you asking her this?”

Rush takes a step closer too, the entire circle tightening. He might not be a gangster, but he’s a man comfortable with power and doesn’t like being questioned. “Take a step back.”

“No,” Knox rumbles. “And just so we’re clear, I fuck people up professionally. You might want to be the one who steps back.”

“I’m a fan,” Mason intercedes. “Your fight with Gonzalez was epic.”

Rush rolls his shoulders, rejoining Killian and Mason. “Promise has insights into your characters that I need to make my decision. So, I repeat… Why do you want to marry Angel? I know you were forced into the engagement by your father.”

“Go ahead, Promise. Answer,” Angel murmurs.

I take a breath. It’s actually a delicate question. My feelings are private, not even Angel knows them, but I’m falling in love.

I feel it deep in my soul and I can’t stop it, even when that other voice tells me those kinds of feelings are going to hurt far worse than anything my father could ever do to me.

So I settle for something simpler. “Angel understands me.” I could add that I’m seen and heard for the first time in a long time, but I keep it short.