“What if I don’t want you to stay here?”
“Tough. I’m not leaving. I figured it might take me three days of groveling to get you back on my good side, so I made sure I would have all seventy-two hours to plead my case.” He leaned over and picked up the bag from the coffee table. The first thing he pulled out was a single red rose. The second item was a small box of chocolates. He held both out toward her. “I told you once I wasn’t a roses and chocolates kind of guy. I changed my mind.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t buy my forgiveness, Trent.”
“I know that, but I thought it was a good start.” He set the two items on the table and licked his lips. “I have a speech too. You want to hear it?”
She almost smiled, pissed with herself for being weak. She was supposed to be mad at him. “You could have called.”
“Would you have answered?”
“No.”
He lifted both brows.
Finally, she sighed and shuffled toward him, dropping into the armchair that sat at an angle to the sofa. “You hurt me.”
“I know, Des.” When he said her name in that tone reserved only for him, she melted a little.
She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around her shins, setting her chin on her knees.
“I made bad choices. I’m so sorry. In my stupid mind, I thought I was doing the right thing, protecting you.”
“You made me feel like it was you who didn’t want anyone to know we were dating, Trent. I was confused. And then you were cryptic and distant and basically lying to me. Why? I’m not a fragile butterfly. You know that. I could have handled the truth, but you didn’t trust me to be strong enough to deal with the fact that there was a threat to your life.”
“You’re right.” He held her gaze.
She lifted her chin a few inches. “That’s all you have to say? I’m right?”
“Not even close.” He took a deep breath. “My mom told me this long, convoluted story about when she met my dad, an interesting story I’ll tell you later. Anyway, she made me realize I was keeping secrets from you to protect myself more than you.”
Destiny narrowed her eyes. What is he talking about?
“I was scared. Afraid you would leave me if you knew how damn dangerous my job could be. In truth, something like this never happens. We go on a mission, protect someone, rescue someone, hide someone. Even when we’ve had to kill to do that, it doesn’t blow back on us.”
“Except this time, it did.”
“Yes. In a big way. I couldn’t see a way out. In no scenario I made up in my head was I ever going to be able to walk freely in public again in my life. There was a lot of crazy shit going on in my mind. I was afraid I’d be killed and you’d be left to deal with another Dawkins funeral. I was afraid something would happen to you because of me. If the fucker tracking me had found you…” He cringed.
“Trent…”
He continued. “I also selfishly didn’t want you to leave me if you found out how high the stakes were. I couldn’t blame you. It was too much to ask of anyone.”
“Except you didn’t ask, Trent. You made the decision for me.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t fair. I see that now.”
“It wasn’t even kind of fair. You don’t get to make choices for me. You don’t get a say in what I can and can’t handle. I’m a grown woman. If I want to enter into a committed relationship with a dedicated member of Delta Force, then I get to make that choice on my own. If I fall in love with such a man, then I get to decide if it’s worth it to me or not. You don’t get a say in it.” Suddenly, she felt like she sounded ridiculous.
“Are you?” Trent asked.
“Am I what?”
“In love with such a man.”
She licked her lips, a tear sliding down her face which she swiped away. “Yes.”
“Is he worth it?”
She hesitated. How had he managed to barge into her condo, announce he was going to stay three days, and then win her over with his apology in less than ten minutes?
“Des…” His voice was deep, gravelly. He reached out a hand. “Come here.”
She took several shallow breaths, staring at his outstretched hand before she dropped her feet to the floor, shoved from the chair, and closed the distance. The moment she was close enough, he grabbed her hand and tugged her. She didn’t want to hurt his leg, so she sat on the floor next to him. One palm smoothed around her neck, his fingers threading in the messy bun. “I want to be worth all the hardship I bring to your door. I want to be someone you love no matter what. Someone you trust to protect you. I want to be that man. Please forgive me.”
She wiped away the stupid tears again, noticing he had a few of his own shimmering in his eyes.
“I often can’t give you much information about a mission, but I promise I will never leave you in the dark like that again. I will trust that you can handle it. I will remind myself that in your eyes I’m worth it and that nothing will spook you into leaving me.”
She nodded, crying now.
He urged her forward with the hand on her head until their faces were closer. His other hand went to her waist. “Nice shirt.”
A short chuckle escaped her as he lightened the moment. “Some guy left it here. It smelled like him for several weeks. I’m gonna need him to wear it again to reinforce the scent.”
“Is he worth it?”
“Yes. He’s worth it. And so much more.”
“I love you, Destiny.”
“I love you too, Trent.”
He pulled her in the last few inches and kissed her, a slow, gentle kiss that sent a shiver down her spine and made her toes curl. When he finally parted from her, he let out a deep breath. “Thank God you didn’t turn me down because I feared if I couldn’t convince you to take me back, I would be left lying here for three days without food or a shower or any kind of assistance. I’m kinda needy for a few more weeks,” he joked.
“Big, tough Delta guy? You’re anything but needy,” she joked back. She glanced down at his leg. “Does it hurt?”
“Not much.” He rubbed his chest. “You missed the giant purple bruise on my chest. Oh, and my eardrum has started healing enough that I’m no longer underwater. That just leaves my leg. I need a few months of physical therapy before I can go back to work. I could use a new nurse. I’m growing tired of my mom.”
Destiny rolled her eyes again. “So, you came here because you needed me to cook for you and give you sponge baths?”
He lifted one brow, smirking. “I like the sound of the sponge baths.”
She swatted at his arm.
“Nah. I can take the brace off to shower. Oh, and I have a new scar next to the first one. It’s not quite as jagged, but I’m hoping the guys don’t rename me Double Zip or something equally annoying.”
She giggled. “You realize if you aren’t a good patient, I could make a suggestion like that, and your life would be miserable.”
He tugged her hair. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
Destiny held his gaze for several moments, enjoying the way he looked at her. “Speaking of nicknames, I didn’t recognize that list you rattled off to Libby. I know Jangles, Woof, Merlin, and Duff. Those were not among the names you gave Libby. Did you make them up on the spot?” She was half-kidding, but Libby would kill him with her bare hands if he pulled her chain.
Trent cupped her face. “No, I did not make them up. They’re other guys I know from the Army. All of them are legit. I promise.”
She eyes him wearily. “Kraft? Like the mac and cheese? That sounds made up.”
He laughed. “Nope. That’s what we call him, and yes, like the mac and cheese. But I think Libby might like my friend Jason Nixon. Hatch. He’s not in town right now, but I’ll show him a picture of her when I see him.”
Destiny groaned. “This plan sounds like it could go south in a hurry.”
“Hey, I’m not forcing anyone’s hand. You’re the one with friends who have glassy eyes
for military men.”
Destiny leaned in and set her forehead against Trent’s. She didn’t want to think about Libby or any of her other friends right now. She wanted to focus on the man in front of her who’d stolen her heart.
Chapter 28
Two weeks later…
Destiny set a pillow under Trent’s ankle, propping it up on her grandmother’s coffee table. The woman had done nothing but grin since they’d arrived fifteen minutes ago. She nearly bounced as she took a seat. “Other than the brace, you look good, Trent,” she told him.
“Thank you, Stella.” He’d called her by her first name at her insistence his entire life, even before Destiny had moved in.
“To what do I owe this visit?”
Trent reached out and clasped Destiny’s hand, pulling her down to sit next to him.
Destiny was perplexed and a bit nervous about this visit. She had taken a leave of absence from her job for one month so she could come to Killeen with Trent and help him out while he healed. That was kind of an excuse really, and they both knew it. It was the story she told her boss. The truth was, Trent could get around fine on his own. He wasn’t fast, but he didn’t need constant help or supervision.
The real reason she’d taken the time off was to be with him. They’d agreed it would be nearly impossible to be certain of their path together without seeing each other slightly more than one night every few weeks. Destiny hadn’t needed even one day. She’d been sure about Trent for over a decade. She doubted he’d needed the time to solidify his feelings, either.
But God, it felt nice to be able to spend every single day with him. They came back to his apartment after just one night in hers so he wouldn’t have to navigate her stairs. This way, they were also closer to his team and his parents, all of whom had stopped by to visit—at least one of them making an appearance every day. Luckily, none of them stayed for more than an hour because Destiny hadn’t been in the mood to share him for longer than that.
Trent had woken up this morning, taken a phone call, and then grown sober. She’d figured his call had been work-related, so she hadn’t asked any questions. Therefore, it shocked her when he insisted they needed to come see Stella this morning, and then they would go visit his parents.
Trent squeezed her hand, scaring her. If he weren’t so serious, she would’ve thought he intended to propose or something, but his demeanor wasn’t right for that. “I need to tell you both something.”
“Okay,” Stella murmured.
“Trent?” Destiny stared at him, watching him breathe a bit heavily.
He glanced at her grandma and then back at her. “I did something without consulting you first.”
Destiny flinched. “What do you mean?”
“Several weeks ago, even before my accident, I sent a lock of your hair to have a DNA test done.”
Destiny frowned. “What for?” Then she gasped. “My mother…” She remembered him telling her there was a possibility he could find a match.
He nodded and glanced at her grandmother. “I wouldn’t have said anything if there hadn’t been a match, but I knew if I could prove anything, it would give you both some peace.”
Destiny licked her lips. “She’s dead?”
Trent nodded. “Yes. I’m so sorry.” He squeezed her hand, pulled her into his side, and then shifted his gaze to her grandmother. “I know this is difficult to hear.”
Her grandma nodded slowly. “I guess in my heart I always knew. That’s why I stopped looking for her. It was like a maternal instinct or something. I just knew. Where’s her body?”
“She was found dead from an overdose, probably the same day she never returned home. Without ID and because of her location, all the coroner could do was run a DNA test and file the information for a possible future match. She was cremated, and her remains are buried in an unidentified plot. We can go there if you want to sometime.”
Her grandma nodded and forced a smile. “I’d like that.”
Trent hugged Destiny close to his side and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Des. I hope you’re not mad.”
She shook her head. Truthfully, all she felt was relieved. At least now she knew. She lifted her gaze. “Was there any match to my father?”
“No. But that means very little. Remember, I told you, if we found a match, we would know. If we didn’t find anything, that doesn’t mean he’s not alive. It just means no one cataloged his DNA results.”
Destiny nodded. She doubted he’d ever known she existed.
“If he, or anyone in his immediate family, ever runs a test through one of the main ancestry systems, you could get a match. But right now, the only close relative that shows up for you is Stella.”
Destiny nodded again, slightly numb. It was kind of sad and lonely knowing that she had no living relatives besides her grandmother.
Stella cleared her throat. “Hey, DNA isn’t always the best indicator of family. You have an amazing family that loves you to pieces if you count Nancy and William.”
“And me,” Trent pointed out. “And…if you wanted to increase the list of immediate family for possible emergency contacts for work or something, you could always marry me.”
Destiny blinked at him, her mind backing up, trying to figure out what he’d just said.
Her grandmother gasped and then clapped her hands together.
“Did you just propose to me?”
Trent scrunched up his nose. “I guess I did. I didn’t mean to blurt it out right now exactly, two minutes after telling you your mother died, but you just looked so forlorn and I couldn’t help myself.”
Destiny shoved off him and sat up straighter. “That was the corniest proposal I’ve ever heard.”
“I think it was perfectly romantic,” her grandmother stated with a giggle. “Answer the man.”
Destiny drew back, shooting him a narrowed gaze. “I don’t think he technically asked me a question.” Her heart was racing. She’d been with him only two weeks, plus a few random dates before that. Isn’t it a bit soon to get engaged? She shook the thought from her mind. She’d dreamed of marrying Trent for half her life.
Trent leaned to one side and reached behind him. A second later, he held a small box out in front of her. “Destiny Fisher, will you marry me?”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. “You planned this?”
“Of course. I mean, I didn’t mean to do it right this second. I was picturing something slightly more romantic, maybe on my parents’ porch swing later today or something. But then that cheesy line slipped out. I guess I couldn’t wait.” He grinned. “You still haven’t answered me.”
“Yes,” she shouted as she threw her arms around his neck. Thank God she no longer needed to be gentle with his ear or his chest because she couldn’t have stopped herself. His bulky leg brace kept her from getting any closer, but she managed to flatten herself to his front as best as possible.
When she finally released him, he kissed her gently and then slid the ring onto her finger.
She stared at it, holding her hand in front of her eyes. A delicate gold band with a solitaire. Simple. Perfect. Exactly right. “I love it,” she whispered, wiggling her fingers and then shifting her hand so that her grandmother could see.
“You two better go next door and tell your parents. They’ll feel left out if they find out you got engaged and kept it from them for hours,” her grandmother teased.
Trent groaned. “Can’t we just have a few more minutes before my mom starts planning the wedding of the century?”
Destiny pinched his arm playfully. “Don’t be mean. Let your mom plan. You know I don’t care about that sort of thing. All I care about is being with you. If it makes her happy to organize a huge production, you keep your mouth shut.”
Trent pursed his lips and then grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
God, I love this man. His eyes danced with the same emotion she felt. As they stared at each other, Stella quietly eased from the room.
Trent threaded his hand in her hair and hauled her mouth closer again. “I love you so much, Des,” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you, too.” She kissed him, twisting around to face him better, longing for the day when he wouldn’t need this brace anymore. The damn thing hadn’t kept them from getting creative in the last week and figuring out all sorts of ways to have sex without reinjuring his leg, but she would still be giddy when he didn’t need to be quite so careful anymore. She flattened a hand on his chest. “We should go tell your parents.”
He closed his eyes. “Give me one more minute of peace with my woman, please.” He ran his hand up and down her back.
“Come on. You’re overreacting. It won’t be that bad. At least she knows we’re together now. We aren’t going to blindside her.”
“I’ll bet you a homemade supreme pizza that she has a Pinterest page and a binder already started.”
“How are you going to cook a pizza with that leg, Trent?” she teased.
“I’m not. I know my mom. I’ll win. And you know her, too. Hell, you’ve been through this with my mom before.” He sobered as he spoke those words.
Destiny cupped his face. “I miss him, too. I wish he could be here. I know he’d be happy for us.”
Trent nodded. “I know that, too.” He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, rubbing the ring against his lips. “Sometimes I can feel him, and I always get a sense of peace. It’s like I know he’s smiling down at us. It’s what he wanted.”
Destiny held Trent very close, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck. “I get that now. We’re going to be the cheesiest couple of everyone we know.”
Trent chuckled. “That’s the truth. Already handed my man card to Woof yesterday when he came by. He rolled his eyes every time you walked by me and reached out to touch me.”
Destiny smiled wider. “You don’t even care.”
“Nope. They can tease me all they want. Joke’s on them.” He kissed her fingers again and stared down at the ring. “The prize is all mine.”
Destiny couldn’t even respond to that. She knew in her heart she was the winner here. But it wasn’t a contest. Trent loved her just as fiercely as she loved him. He showed her in a dozen ways every single day. She would never take it for granted. And she wouldn’t waste a single moment they spent together feeling insecure for the rest of their lives.
Destiny's Delta (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Delta Team Three Book 2) Page 17