An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 46

Echo didn't say anything, she was just letting herself process it.

"I want to take care of you." he said, taking something out of his pocket and holding it out to her. She froze, staring at it, staring and feeling like she would have a heart attack.

"You know the rules, know they can't change but I'll treat you like a queen." He said, still holding it out.

"Are you sure you want me? There's so many others." She said, staring wide eyed.

"I want you." He said, "You just have to say yes."

He took a step towards her, taking his hand in hers and making her shiver.

"Say it, Echo. Say yes. Say yes and we can have the wonderful life together that I know we're going to have." He replied.

"If I say yes, what happens next?" She asked.

"First, I kiss you until I snatch that composure from you." He said, making her turn red. He smiled, loving how she blushed. "Then I take your hand, we dance all night and we tell your parents."

"not tonight, it's George's wedding." She said with a shake of the head.

"So you'll invite me over for dinner and we tell them then." He said. "After that, we plan a beautiful party like this one and then I spend the rest of my life making you blush just like you're blushing now."

"And what do I get?" She asked, "I mean, in exchange for the rules... your world is... different."

"You get a home, protection, anything you want." He said. "We get to wake up every morning next to each other and I get to make love to you any time I want."

He was being the devil she always thought he would be, even when he was being romantic. 

"Do you love me?" She asked. Luke stiffened.

"I care about you deeply, more than any other woman. I know you want me like I want you. I'm willing to commit to you, only you. I've never felt that before. In my own way, I do love you. Does that matter?" He asked.

Echo stared, it did. It mattered because she already loved him. She realized it only minutes before. That contentment, that ease he gave her... the way he could put her soul to rest without having to do anything but be at her side and just as easily provoke more passion than she could handle... that was it. That was her loving him. Could she hope that he'd love her someday?

"Okay." She heard herself say. "Yes."

She watched as a smile spread onto his face as he reached out and kissed her exactly the way he said he would.

---

"Shh... shhhh."

Echo shook her head- This must be what people meant when they said they had deja vu. She slowed down as she neared the kitchen, looking down at her hand. There it was, glittering on her finger. Proof that last night really happened.

"I can't believe this thing." Echo said when Luke finally let her breathe. He was holding her tightly against him, nibbling at her neck and cheek. She'd been so caught up in the way he kissed her that she hadn't even noticed when she'd ended up on his lap, her arms around his neck. Everything else had ceased to exist- the floor had dropped beneath her. The only reason she was staring at the ring at that moment was because Luke had stopped kissing her to slip it on. He chuckled.

"It's so... big." She said, still completely shocked by how it shone on her hand.

"Is it too big?" Luke said, pulling away and looking at her. "You can have anything you want. We can get you another if you don't like it."