29. Zane

Chapter twenty-nine

Zane

J asmine rests peacefully in my arms, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. She spent the whole night in my bed and waking up to find her still here lifts my heart from the dark pit it usually resides in. The scent of wine still lingers on her skin, a reminder of the indulgent family bonding we shared. I worry about her head this morning, knowing that she may have had one too many glasses from Lenny's haul. Even in her alcohol-induced slumber, she has a hold over me that I cannot resist. My loyalty to her is unwavering, but my work and family must also come first.

As I gently kiss her lips, she stirs and turns towards me with a sleepy smile. "I'm sorry, kitten," I murmur in her ear. "But lie-ins don't exist when Alex is concerned. That boy has no boundaries."

She hums softly in response, indicating that while she doesn't want to wake up just yet, she would have no objections to our young friend joining us under the covers.

My phone rings again, reminding me why I woke up. "Hello?"

"Sorry, Dad," Marcus speaks in a hushed tone. "Alex has been bugging me for the past hour to let him say hello to Jasmine. You know how he can be. I understand she might not be up yet."

"Are you awake enough to deal with Alex?" I turn to the woman beside me, wondering if the boy's name is enough to draw her from her slumber.

"She's in your room?" Marcus gasps weakly, as if her presence in my room is a sign of a serious relationship.

"Give us five minutes to wake up and make coffee," I smile. "Then call back, but make sure he has brushed his teeth first."

"Thank you so much," Marcus praises as Alex shuffles off in the background. I know brushing the boy's teeth is a daily battle for my son, but I would put up with morning calls if it made their lives just that little bit easier.

I head downstairs to the kitchen to return with two steaming mugs of coffee, I place them on my bedside table and kiss Jasmine again.

"Not a morning person, kitten?"

"Too used to working in bars until early morning," she sighs back, making an effort to sit herself up.

The rich aroma of the caffeine fills the air as we wait for Alex's call, and Jasmine snuggles closer to me, content in our little bubble of warmth and comfort. For now, everything feels perfect and peaceful as we brace ourselves for another day in our unconventional but fulfilling family dynamic.

Alex gives us precisely two and a half minutes before he calls and begins a rapid retelling about his dream where Flippy-floppy did something amazing with a carrot and a kipper.

As I hear the young boy jabbering, I can't help but feel guilty. He has such innocent trust in me and believes that Jasmine is my girlfriend who will be by my side forever. As she lies beside me in bed, I wonder how I can convince him of anything else.

We give Alex the right responses over speaker phone, despite exchanging mutual glances of confusion, when he says goodbye and hangs up on us, leaving nothing but a stunned silence.

Jasmine's voice breaks the silence with a quiet mutter. "Are we going to break his heart?"

"I hope not, his or mine," I reply, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. "Ultimately, it's your decision. The ball is in your court."

I hope our warmth and hospitality towards her have given her a taste of the life I am offering her. Even though it was too soon for her to know what she wanted, I wanted her to make her future decisions without any doubt about my intentions. I wasn't planning to do this now. I'm not sure when I hoped to, but I know with all my heart that this is the right move.

Turning to the small velvet box in the drawer beside my bed, I take it out and offer it to her with a trembling hand. Inside was a sparkling ring, glimmering under the soft light of the bedside lamp. "Jasmine Morgan," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. "I want you to marry me."

I quickly added, hoping not to pressure her into an immediate answer, "Take all the time you need to be sure. I know I have no doubt in my heart that you are the only woman after Izabella who will ever enter it. I offer you everything I have, for as long as you'll have me." My heart beats wildly as I wait for her response, praying she would say yes and accept everything I offer.

To prove that my request is genuine and without pressure, I carefully close the ornate box and delicately place it in her hands. "I'm not asking you to decide now; take all the time you need," I assure her.

I feel a surge of panic at the thought of her humiliating rejection. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing that could just prove to be the biggest mistake of my life.

"I'm so sorry. This was supposed to be spontaneous, but now I see it was just inappropriate." I groan and bury my face against the pillow.

"Don't worry about it," Jasmine's voice is gentle as she places the box back in my hand. "You'll have another chance to do it right, on one knee. Then I'll give you my answer."

She closes my fingers around the box and leans to kiss them before heading to the bathroom. The weight of rejection hangs heavy in the air.

Especially as it wasn't a rejection, just an order to do better. To do it properly.