“Good luck with that.” I steered her along the driveway again until the manor came into view.
Cassie whistled as we walked up the front and into the main entry. “This is pretty much what I pictured, except ten times better.”
“I was pretty overwhelmed at first, but I’m used to it now.”
“Want to give me the grand tour?”
“Absolutely. We can start with my favorite places, the pool and the kitchen.”
She laughed and leaned against my shoulder. “You haven’t changed.”
“Neither have you.”
“It’s weird though, isn’t it? I mean, we’ve been through so much. You’d think we’d be different.”
“We are and we aren’t.” I chewed my lip and looked toward the curving staircase that led upstairs. “My mom used to talk about the way people really are all the time. How no matter what you did, you’d always be yourself, like there’s some core of you that never changes. Maybe she means a soul? I don’t know, but I think she’s right.”
“I like that. You can dress up however, but it’s always the same underneath.”
“Exactly.” I squeezed her hand. “All right, enough of this. Let’s get you settled then find some food and sit by the pool. I want all the details of your life. Like, every single disgusting, filthy, gory detail.”
“I think I’ll stick with a very high-level summary of my life, thanks.”
“I want it all, baby.”
She laughed as I steered her toward the steps. I planned on settling her in the room next to mine, but Chika appeared down a side hallway and gestured for us to wait.
“Darren instructed me to summon the both of you as soon as Cassie arrived.” Chika’s eyes darted to the side. She’d been strange ever since Darren made peace with Roman, like she knew something everyone else didn’t. “So please, if you’d be so kind.”
I sighed and put a hand on my hip. “What does my husband want?”
“He says it is urgent. Oligarch business. Please, come this way.”
I exchanged a look with Cassie and we followed Chika through the halls. She led us past the kitchens and the main living room and toward the small ballroom. She paused outside of the doors and gestured for us to wait before she disappeared inside.
“Does this happen a lot?” Cassie asked. “Staff leads you around this place for mysterious reasons?”
“I’d like to say no, but yeah, that definitely happens.” I frowned as we stood there in silence. There was no sign of Chika returning, and I didn’t know what the heck we’d be doing near the small ballroom. This place was practically never used, except by the cleaning staff once a week to make sure it didn’t drown in dust.
I got impatient. I’ll admit, I’m an impatient person. I have flaws like anyone else. Maybe I should’ve waited for Chika to return, but instead I stepped forward, turned the knob, and pushed the door open.
The room was filled with candles. Flowers were perched on every surface and the lights were dimmed low. I blinked a few times, trying to understand what was going on—my brain was like sludge.
Standing in the middle of the ballroom was Darren. He wore a black suit and was staring at me like the world was about to end. I drifted forward, confused and a little nervous, but he beckoned me toward him.
“What’s going on?” I asked when I got closer.
He dropped down to one knee. “We never got to do this the right way.”
I stared at him then covered my mouth. I looked back at Cassie and she was grinning.
Like she knew this was about to happen.
“Winter, you changed my life. Before you, I was a man consumed with hate and revenge. The only things I cared about were destroying my enemies and protecting my family, and even now I’m not sure which was mattered more. You made me see that the world’s so much bigger than petty emotions, and that I can be a better man.” He reached out and took my hand. “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I’ll love you for longer. I want to be your husband for as long as I have blood in my veins. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, of course.” I blinked fast, trying not to cry. This was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me and even still there was a voice whispering, you don’t deserve this, and that voice sounded a lot like my father, and I made sure to mentally tell that voice to fuck right off.
He slipped a ring on my finger. It sparkled in the candlelight: simple, elegant, hand-cut diamonds on a gold band. He stood and kissed me, and I kissed him back, then Cassie joined our little group and hugged me tight, and I hugged her back. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“I knew he was going to do something like this. I just didn’t know when.”