Page 106 of Perfect Vengeance

“Huh?” Deke’s brows scrunched together.

Kyle’s brows rose. “We were kidding.”

Jack grinned. “Yeah, I know.” Though they might think it, they hadn’t planted the idea in his head. In reality, it had been there for several weeks. Since the day he’d purchased the two-carat chocolate diamond engagement ring.

“Watch and learn boys.” He handed Kyle his beer and went inside the house to the kitchen cabinet where he’d stashed the box.

Half a minute later, he strode past his brothers, carefully holding the gold tissue box-size container in both hands. Jack’s heart leaped into his throat, pounding harder than a New York cabbie had ever pounded on a horn.

The only flaw in his plan, one he hadn’t considered, was that she might not say yes. God help him if she didn’t. He’d broken up an entire Mafia family, put dozens of dangerous criminals in prison, but he’d be lost without Gina.

“Hi.” She smiled up at him, sending his heartrate into overdrive. “Pretty box. Whatcha got there?”

“A gift. For you.” He handed her the box, careful to turn it so the clear cellophane window faced her. And is that my hand shaking?

“Ooh, pretty.” Her smile broadened as she accepted the box containing the elaborately decorated chocolate Faberge-style egg. She gasped. “Is this chocolate? It’s beautiful.”

She held it up for everyone to get a better look at the royal blue egg with gold bows and flowers seated on a pedestal.

When he’d bought the egg, he’d been educated by the seller that it had been fashioned after one made by Victor Mayer, a German artist and jeweler who’d been commissioned to resume the manufacture of original Faberge objects.

This one, however, had a surprise inside.

“Thank you, Jack.” She stood on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Open it.” He indicated the box. “There’s something special inside.”

“Okay.” Moments later, Gina had taken the egg from the box, balancing the pedestal in her hand.

As she gently flipped open the top half of the egg, Jack lowered to one knee.

His mother gasped and clapped her hands to her face.

Annabelle and Kinsey grabbed onto each other’s arms, jumping up and down as they both let out squeals high-pitched enough to wake the dead.

Margo, ever the pragmatist, Jack had learned, simply nodded, as if she’d known all along what Jack had planned.

“Holy shit,” Deke whispered over Jack’s shoulder.

Kyle chuckled. “I’ll second that.”

“Gina.” Jack looked up into the eyes of the woman he loved more than his own life. “I love you. I can’t live without you. Will you marry me?”

Her eyes had gone wide, and her mouth had fallen open. His four-word question had rendered this woman—who never stopped talking—utterly speechless.

“Gina,” Kinsey whispered in her ear, nudging Gina’s shoulder. “Say something. You never have nothing to say. Don’t leave the man hanging.”

Yeah. Don’t leave me hanging.

Still wide-eyed, her mouth moved, silently forming what he hoped and prayed with every fiber of his being was the word yes.

Jack gulped. “Is that a yes?” Or had he stupidly, mistakenly assumed they were on the same page when they weren’t?

Slowly, she nodded, then the nodding became more emphatic. “Yes,” she whispered, as tears fell from her eyes. “Yes!”

Thank God he was kneeling because his legs felt weak.

After purchasing the egg, he’d inserted a gold velvet cushion and stuck the ring in it. Now, with trembling fingers, he plucked out the ring, being careful to avoid touching the chocolate. He slid the sparkling diamond onto Gina’s left ring finger and gently kissed her hand.

Gina flung herself into his arms. Everyone around them clapped and cheered. He held her tightly, burying his face in her nape and inhaling her sweet scent.

Finally, as the clapping died down, she pulled away. “I love you, Special Agent Gates. I’ll love you forever.”

This time, when his throat tightened it wasn’t from anaphylactic shock. It was from love. Knowing he’d finally found it and would never let it go.

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