Page 7 of Ruin Me Sweetly

I released the selfish asshole and smoothly moved out of the way. Isabella drew him in, and for a few seconds, Zach softened.

“Merry Christmas. So glad you’re home,” she whispered, though I heard a multitude of emotions in her voice.

Zach’s eyes landed on me.

As soon as Amber appeared, his entire body filled with tension. I watched them carefully—Amber’s disbelief, Zach’s malicious eyes and tone as he spoke.

“Hello, little sister.”

I moved to shut the door, adjusting to the new and unexpected dynamics. I didn’t like that predatory look in him. His eyes were all over her. I moved quickly and slapped his back, hard enough to jolt him out of whatever perverse fantasy was playing in his mind.

“So this is your son. A fine young man.”

All her love for the boy surfaced, even after all the years he’d ignored her and likely hurt my sweet girl.

“Oooh. We are all home for Christmas,” she said, blinking back tears of happiness.

The boy seemed to be buffering, and I wondered what had brought him home.

Amber moved.

“Zach,” Amber whispered.

His face darkened, and he turned to Isabella.

Interesting. Very interesting.

“Is my room free?” he asked stiffly, as if he expected to be rejected.

“Of course. Take your things upstairs. Amber, can you clear the laundry airer out of his room?” Isabella said, her voice shaking with excitement.

“Sure, Mum,” Amber said, her voice overly bright. She moved fast, running up the stairs like she was in a teenage slasher movie.

I moved beside Isabella, holding her intimately, proving to the little nuisance that I was the alpha male of this family.

“You’ll need to be gagged tonight,” I whispered close to her ear.

Her burst of laughter made me smile, and she slapped my shoulder. I half-turned to the newcomer and smirked. With my grip tight, I began to lead her away.

“Come to the kitchen, and we can catch up once you’re settled,” Isabella called behind her.

A few moments later, I heard him going upstairs.

“I can’t believe he came,” Isabella whispered. “He was so angry after Clive died. Angry at everyone.”

I rubbed her arm before softly kissing her neck.

“You did everything you could, my darling,” I assured her.

She swallowed, her lips trembling. After a few deep breaths, she managed to compose herself.

“How do you know?” she whispered.

“Because I have never met anyone with a more loving and beautiful heart than you,” I murmured, before dropping to one knee.

The box was in my palm, and as I opened it, tears began to stream down her cheeks, her hands covering her mouth.

“Isabella Rayne, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”