Chapter 39

THIRTY-NINE

Cooper

When Sandor told me he had a job for me, I wasn’t expecting to be sent to Vinake not only to pick up some sort of prisoner, but to Natalia’s parents’ house. I don’t have many details other than it has to do with Lucianna’s husband, but I’m not going to say no to any excuse to see Natalia. Once we’re in the same room together, somehow, I have to get her to talk to me.

I don’t know what kind of reception I’m going to get from her parents either, but her mother gives me a broad smile when she opens the door and then hugs me tightly. Her father pumps my hand effusively, babbling in Limaji and nodding emphatically.

I guess they’re grateful I’ve come for Pieter?

There’s no sign of Natalia as they guide me into the kitchen.

Pieter is tied up and looking a bit worse for wear. I almost chuckle at the kitchen towel used to gag him and Eleanora wags a finger in Pieter’s direction. Whatever she says makes him drop his head.

“Stupid,” she mumbles in English. “You take him.”

“I will.” I nod.

I’m about to ask where Natalia is when I hear—or maybe I just feel—her behind me. I turn slowly and it feels like a bolt of lightning hits me as our eyes meet.

“Hi,” I manage to say after a few seconds.

“Hi.” She looks as beautiful as ever, with her hair in a messy ponytail and no makeup.

Pieter starts babbling incoherently through the gag and Eleanora smacks him in the back of the head.

“Shut. Up.” She says it in perfectly enunciated English.

He quiets and then Eleanora makes a shooing motion.

“Go,” she says to us. “Outside. Now.”

Her English can be on point when she wants it to be.

Natalia nods, and we go out the back door, standing under the makeshift patio roof. It’s falling apart, something that obviously wasn’t fixed along with the main roof, and I’d love to get up there and at least put some fresh plywood to hold it steadier.

“How are you?” she asks softly.

I turn, squinting slightly. “Really? We’re going to make small talk? Come on, baby, that’s not us. This isn’t us. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on. Why you left like that.”

Her eyes narrow. “You’re one to talk about leaving.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” I reach out a hand.

And wait.

“Do you forgive me?” I ask when she doesn’t respond.

“I don’t know. What part are you sorry for?”

“For leaving without telling you the plan. For not trusting you to trust me. For putting my fear that something will happen to you before our relationship.”

My words seem to get through to her because she wilts a little, relaxing her rigid stance and slowly taking my outstretched hand.

I close my fingers around hers. “I know you’re mad about all that. My only excuse is that Erik gave me an order, and even though I hadn’t consciously made a decision, somewhere deep down I knew I was going to become a Protector, so I did what I was told. Because it was safer for everyone. You, Casey, the royal family. If Yusef had gotten ahold of you, tortured you… you know things that could put the entire palace at risk.”

“But we can’t be together if you’re going to keep things from me,” she whispers. “Secrets like that will slowly destroy us. And that would be a fate worse than death.”

“I know. That’s why I had a long talk with Sandor, Joe, and Daniil last night. About what I want, and what I believe we need as a couple. But I told them that I have to choose you.”

“Choose me?” She looks confused.

“If I have to pick, between becoming a Royal Protector or loving you, I choose you.”

Her eyes widen, and then she launches herself into my arms, winding her arms around me tightly as her tears immediately begin to soak into my T-shirt.

“Shh, don’t cry, baby.” I hold her as close as I can, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words.

“I don’t want to leave the Protectors,” she sobs. “And I don’t want you to leave either.”

“Then why are you here on leave instead of back home waiting in bed for me?”

“Because I thought I was scared. I am scared.” She lifts her head and stares at me with tear-stained cheeks. “But I think I’m more scared to be without you. To not be where I’m needed, where I can do the most good.”

“We all get scared,” I say softly, brushing away her tears. “As men, we tend to hide it better, but I promise you—we all get scared. Me, Sandor, Erik, even Joe. But we’re different because we push through.”

“I don’t know how I’ll be able to breathe when you go on a mission without me. How I’ll function, thinking you might not come back.”

“How do you think I feel?” I counter. “You’re the most badass woman I’ve ever met, but you’re still a woman. My woman. It’s terrifying to think of you putting yourself in front of bullets, right in the line of danger. I have to let you do it, though, because that’s part of what makes you who you are. How could I truly love you if I try to take that from you?”

“Do you?” she whispers.

“Do I what? Love you?” I shake my head. “I’ve told you a few times already and have yet to hear you say it back. So let me articulate it, and you need to pay close attention.” I gently untangle her arms and take a step back.

Then I drop to one knee.

“Natalia Farkas. I love you more than I ever thought I could love another person. You make me a better man. You bring light to what I always thought was a permanently darkened soul. I don’t want to do life without you. Would you do me the biggest honor and become my wife?” I pull out the ring I only bought yesterday.

Her hands fly to her mouth, and she starts crying again.

But then she nods and holds out a shaky hand, allowing me to slide the diamond solitaire on her finger.

“ Ryan .” She throws herself at me again, but this time our mouths come together hungrily, kissing and nipping and finding our rhythm. It’s not about sex but how we work together as a couple. The easy friendship. The passion. The love.

“I guess that’s a yes?” I ask when we finally pull apart.

“Yes. So many yeses.”

I smile.

And then the back door flies open, and her parents come out, laughing and hugging us.

“I guess they were listening?” I ask her.

“Listening. Watching. You’ll get used to it. That’s how it is in my family.”

“Wait.” Her father pauses after they’ve congratulated and hugged and kissed us multiple times. He goes around the corner, and I look to Natalia.

“What’s going on?” I ask her.

“I don’t know.” She looks confused too.

There’s a weird bleating sound, and then her father comes around the house.

Leading a goat.

On a fucking leash.

Oh my fucking god.

He bought a goat.

For her dowry.

I stare in horror, trying to wrap my head around this, and what I’m going to do with a goat.

“Gregor!” Eleneora bursts out laughing.

“Oh, Papa.” Natalia covers her laugh with her hand.

I’m still staring.

“This for you.” Gregor hands me the leash. “Dowry.”

I’m so shocked I take it.

“And Corvette,” he says, handing me a set of keys. He looks so serious I take those too.

“Th-thank you?” I cut a glance at Natalia, and she’s not even trying to hide her laughter anymore. There are tears streaming down Eleneora’s face as she continues to laugh, and after a minute Gregor cracks a smile too.

“It’s okay, Cooper.” Natalia comes over and lightly kisses me. “I’m sure we can sell it back to the farm he bought it from.”

“What am I supposed to do with it until then?” I ask.

“I don’t know. We never had livestock.” She looks down and grins.

The goat seems tame, happy to chew on the edge of my khaki shorts as we stand here.

“Here, give him to me.” Natalia takes the leash, and then leads the goat out to the shed and wraps the leash around the doorknob. “It’ll be okay there until you figure out where to take it.”

“Until I figure it out?” I ask, cringing.

“You ask for goat,” Gregor says. “Is goat.”

“Jesus.” I shake my head.

“Come. We eat. Then you take Pieter away.” Eleneora nods happily, walking back into the house.

“We can’t take a goat back to the palace,” I tell Natalia.

“We? I don’t know what this we business is about,” she deadpans. “That’s all you.”

“How did he know we were going to get engaged today?” I ask, following her inside. “I didn’t even know until yesterday.”

She smiles. “I think maybe our parents know us better than we know ourselves sometimes. They knew I wouldn’t be happy coming back to this life. I think they also suspected I would never quit the Protectors. It’s part of who I am.”

“What convinced you?”

“I don’t know. This morning when I was dealing with Pieter and realized this is what I do. The rush it gave me to know I could protect my family. The sense of calm I felt when it was happening. I probably have a lot more to unpack with Dr. Saluga, but I don’t want to be anything but a Royal Protector. And I hope you want that too.”

“I do.” I pull her in for a kiss. “I love you, Natalia.”

“I love you too, Ryan.”

“I thought you only called me Ryan in bed.”

She smiles. “That was when you were just my boyfriend. Now that you’re my fiancé, it may be shifting a little.”

“I don’t care what you call me as long as you love me.”

“More than anything.”