Chapter 54

Van

Somehow I just knew everything would work out, but this…? Watching Finn fall on his sword and then Kendall and her brother hug it out, that went far beyond my expectations. I stared at Gage, mutely asking to be filled in on what went down. I’d found nudie pictures of our parents and cleaned Mum’s gutters, but they had obviously discovered whole other solutions.

“So we’ll be able to pay back Mark now,” I said.

“Eventually.” Connor strolled over and sat down, smiling down the table, and it would’ve killed him to know how much like his dad he looked. Not evil like Mark, but he had that same vibe of being supremely in control. “I had a chat with my parents this morning and made clear that a hostile act like that would be met with equal and opposite force. Thanks for the photos, by the way.”

I grinned.

“They were very effective in… persuading Dad to see things my way,” Connor said. “Proper loan documents will be drawn up, including an interest rate. It’ll mean bigger repayments, but I think we can swing it. As long as we adhere to them, Dad won’t try this shit again, lest he be in breach of contract.”

“There won’t be any need for that.” Bruce’s grumpy tone caught our attention and he stared down the table with his arms crossed. “Alice and I talked and… We sold the house in town for a pretty penny and we put that money aside.” He shot his wife a dark look. “For a rainy day.”

“Today’s about as rainy a day as I’d like to see,” Alice replied.

“We’ll pay that prick Mark out. We’ll give him the money and that will leave the lot of you free and clear.”

“So… we’ll pay you back,” Connor said.

“No, no.” Bruce took a noisy sip of his drink. “It’ll be a gift. Don’t come running to me if you want an expensive wedding, though…” He frowned and then looked at Kendall. “Can you get married to all of these blokes? I know they let gay people get married now, but—”

“I don’t know.”

I was up and on my feet as soon as I saw a tear in my girl’s eyes. She would never shed another one—that I had sworn. But Gage and Connor had the same idea, rushing to take our place by her side. To pull her closer, to run my hand down her back, to soothe her with soft words that everything would be all right.

Only for Bruce to do just that.

“Dad…!”

“Oh, love. Why didn’t you come and tell me what was going on? I know I’m a grumpy old prick. God knows your mother tells me often enough, but you’re still my daughter. I’ll always love you no matter what you do.” He glanced at us from over her shoulder. “Even if it’s shacking up with your brother’s dickhead mates. Boys that are gonna do their level best to look after my girl, right?”

Fuck, I was crying now too. I tried to laugh it off, but the tears weren’t going anywhere.

“You soppy prick…” Finn said with a sharp grin, shaking his head.

“Soppy for your sister,” Gage growled. Sure enough, when I looked across at him his eyes were suspiciously shiny. “And as your new bosses, you know we’re gonna share allll the details of what we do with Kendall with the boys at smoko.”

“Oh my god, I’m gonna be sick,” Finn groaned.

“You don’t have photos of your parents having sex parties on your phone,” I said, then winced when I saw Alice glare at me. “No offence, Alice.”

“None taken,” she said, waving her hand at me.

“But seriously, you better fucking not,” Finn said. “I’ll clean whatever you want, dig whatever ditches you need dug, but disrespecting my sister?” I watched him stare at Kendall. “That’s not cool.”

“Finally…” Alice muttered.

“I might’ve disrespected your sister,” I told him, finding my smile again. “But my wife…?” I’d never even thought about the idea of being married before now, but as I stared at Kendall, I knew nothing else would satisfy me. I needed to have her locked down, claimed, mine on every level and I wasn’t sure how we could make that happen, but we would. Kendall just blinked and stared at me, a small frown forming. “I promise to love, honour and obey her every wish.”

“Are you… proposing to me?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think I am.” I knew the truth of it as soon as I had her in my arms. There was no threat anyone could pose that could keep me away from this. Her body pressed against mine, her scent in my nose. I fucking loved her with every breath in my body and I needed to know what she was thinking. “So, whaddya say? Want to become Mrs. Cooper?”