Haydn grimaced. They all knew his brother Logan had a short fuse and an itchy trigger finger when it came to anyone trying to hurt a member of their family.
“All I’m interest in is did he agree to leave you alone in future?” That and Hailey were the only things Haydn cared about.
She nodded. “Once I’d told him everything. My father’s part in my kidnapping. My mother shooting and killing my father, and then herself, after she found out the truth. I explained that, like him, I’d lost everyone in my family. Even my sister, because she’s in a different WP program to me and we haven’t spoken for eight years. I believe knowing all that helped to convince Ernesto that killing me wasn’t going to bring Eduardo back and that it wasn’t what Eduardo would have wanted anyway. In the end, we reached an uneasy truce. If he agreed not to kill me, then you and your brothers wouldn’t kill him in retaliation.”
Haydn gave a humorless smile. “Do you think he’ll keep to that agreement?”
“Strangely enough, I do.” Hailey nodded. “I think he’s tired. That he’s only continued the vendetta out of his love and loyalty to Eduardo. Now he knows it’s no longer necessary. I also returned his mother’s necklace to him.”
Haydn winced. “You never told me Eduardo gave that to you,” he accused.
“Because I never wanted it in the first place. But if taking it ensured that Eduardo continued to keep me safe from the other men, then I wasn’t going to say no. I’d hoped to give the necklace back to Ernesto after the trial eight years ago, but he took out a gun and tried to kill me before I had the chance to speak to him. After that, government agents jumped on him so fast, I couldn’t get near him. I’ve kept it with me ever since, in case I was ever able to return it to Ernesto along with the truth of what happened eight years ago. I believe the necklace helped convince him that his brother loved me.”
Haydn drew in a deep breath. “So what’s next for Hailey Frost?”
Her gaze lowered. “I think that depends on what you want to happen to her.”
“Now you’re going to let me be the one to make the decisions?” he teased.
“Decision, singular,” she drawled.
“Which is?”
“Do I stay or do I go?”
“You stay,” he stated firmly as he stepped close enough they were almost touching. “You also change your surname to Steele as soon as it can be arranged.”
Her eyes widened. “Is that a marriage proposal?”
“Did it sound like one?” he demanded.
Hailey snorted. “It sounded like an order given with the typical arrogance of the Steele brothers!”
“So your answer is no?”
“I haven’t heard a question yet—Haydn…!” she gasped as he went down on one knee in front of her before taking one of her hands in his.
He looked at her with unblinking gray eyes. “I’ve loved you since the moment I first saw you. You’re beautiful, intelligent, and sexy as hell,” he added with a grin. “Will you please marry me and stay with me forever?”
Hailey’s heart felt as if it had grown so large in her chest, she was having trouble expanding her lungs enough to breathe. She couldn’t believe Haydn had just said he loved her and wanted to marry her and be with her forever.
She swallowed hard. “My father was a selfish bastard who had me kidnapped so that he could collect the ransom money, and my mother killed him before killing herself,” she reminded.
He gave an unconcerned grin. “We all know August has enough to cope with just by being married to Logan,” he said dryly. “But Sophie’s father became an embezzler after years of laundering money for a London gangster,” he said, referring to Rourke’s wife. “Bella’s brother is head of the London Italian Mafia.” Bryce’s wife. “Jenna’s father was head of the Irish mob. Some say he still is, despite having been in prison for years.” Atticus’s wife. “I really think your family background qualifies you to fit right on in there with the other Steele wives.”
When he put it like that…
Hailey sank to her knees in front of him before gently touching her fingertips against his cheek. “I love you so much, Haydn. I always have. These past few days together have shown me I always will.”
“And?”
Her green eyes glowed with happiness. “And yes, I would love to marry you.”
Haydn’s breath left him in a whoosh as he moved down onto both knees before pulling Hailey forward until she was sitting on his thighs. Her long legs were wrapped about his hips, Haydn’s arms about her waist as he claimed her lips with his own.
“Would it be unorthodox for us to stay here and have a week’s honeymoon before the wedding?” Hailey mused several hours later. The two of them were naked in bed together, the dampness of her hair splayed across Haydn’s shoulder after they’d taken a shower together and then made love again.
Haydn chuckled. “We can stay here for a week, go back to London and get married, and then we can have another honeymoon somewhere romantic. Like Venice or Paris.”
Hailey gave a contented sigh. “Sounds perfect.”
He drew in a deep breath. “There’s just one little problem. But I’m sure the brothers will be able to solve it very soon,” he added quickly. “In the meantime, we can go ahead and plan the wedding.”
Hailey moved up onto one elbow so that she could see his face. “What little problem?”
“Well.” He grimaced. “I had a call from Atticus while you were finishing up in the bathroom earlier. He, all of the brothers, have tried calling Lucan to let him know it’s safe to bring Becca home.”
Hailey tensed at the mention of her sister. “And?”
“Lucan isn’t answering his calls, and neither he nor your sister are at any of the safe houses either.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, the last time Lucan took off like this, it was for three months, and despite extensive searches, none of us could find him.”
“The last time it happened…?”
“When he left the army after his last tour in Afghanistan.”
“Right.” Hailey gave a careful nod. “So you’re saying that Lucan, who may or may not be having some sort of flashback, has disappeared with my sister, and none of you know where he is or how to find him.”
“Sounds about right, yes.”
Hailey moved to sit on the side of the bed before pulling on her underwear and then the rest of her clothes “You know, Haydn, if you keep any more secrets like this from me, then we’ll be getting a divorce before we’re even married.” She stood before bending down to give one of his bare arse cheeks a resounding smack. “It’s time for us to go, fiancé.”
He moved reluctantly to begin pulling on his own clothes. “What happened to spending a week together here before going back to London? Lucan will keep Becca safe, Hailey. He would never do anything to hurt her or any other woman,” he assured.
“That isn’t my worry,” she told him ruefully as she fastened her boots. “I might not have spent any time with Becca the past eight years, but I doubt she’s lost the fiery temper that got her into so much trouble when we were growing up. Lucan might find her a little hard to handle.”
Haydn’s brows rose. “Your sister is like you?”
Her brows rose. “Are you saying I have a temper?”
His expression instantly became one of feigned innocent. “Now, would I say something like that about the woman I love?”
Hailey let the teasing dig go, her heart too full at the easy way Haydn spoke of loving her.
Ernesto Silver was no longer pursuing her.
She was going to marry Haydn.
They were going to marry each other.
Hailey didn’t doubt that everything else, including finding her sister and Lucan, would eventually be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Her gaze roved hungrily over the lithe and muscular body of her future husband. “Maybe we don’t have to leave quite yet…?”
Haydn’s brows rose as
he picked up on her mood. “Maybe we don’t,” he agreed huskily before swinging her up into his arms and carrying her back to bed.
They could think about leaving here tomorrow.
Or possibly the day after that…
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About the Author
Carole Mortimer is a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2015, RT Career Achievement Award 2017, RT Pioneer for Romance Award 2014. She was also recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’. Carole has written 250 contemporary, Regency and paranormal romance novels.
She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!
Other books by Carole Mortimer
Steele Protectors Series:
LOGAN (Steele Protectors 1)
ATTICUS (Steele Protectors 2)
BRYCE (Steele Protectors 3)
ROURKE (Steele Protectors 4)
HAYDN (Steele Protectors 5) Author’s 250th Book
LUCAN (Steele Protectors 6)
Regency Club Venus:
Bastian’s Surrender (Regency Club Venus 1)
Gabriel’s Torment (Regency Club Venus 2)
More books to come in this series
Regency Men in Love:
Hidden Lover (Regency Men in Love 1)
Hidden Desire (Regency Men in Love 2)
More books to come in this series
Regency Lovers Series:
INDECENT (Regency Lovers 1)
OBSESSION (Regency Lovers 2)
CRAVING (Regency Lovers 3)
FORBIDDEN (Regency Lovers 4)
SURRENDER (Regency Lovers 5)
SCANDAL (Regency Lovers 6)
This series is now complete
Regency Sinners Series:
Wicked Torment (Regency Sinners 1)
Wicked Surrender (Regency Sinners 2)
Wicked Scandal (Regency Sinners 3)
Wicked Deception (Regency Sinners 4)
Wicked Captive (Regency Sinners 5)
Wicked Temptation (Regency Sinners 6)
Wicked Sinner (Regency Sinners 7)
Wicked Christmas (Regency Sinners 8)
Series complete
Dragon Hearts – Contemporary paranormal
Nathaniel (Dragon Hearts 1)
Deryk (Dragon Hearts 2)
Bryn (Dragon Hearts 3)
Dylan (Dragon Hearts 4)
Grigor (Dragon Hearts 5)
Garrett (Dragon Hearts 6)
Aeran & Rhys (Dragon Hearts 7)
Dragon Reunion (Dragon Hearts 8)
Series now complete
Regency Unlaced Series:
The Duke’s Mistress (Book 1)
Claimed by the Marquis (Book 2)
Taken by the Earl (Book 3)
Pursued by the Viscount (Book 4)
Desired by a Lord (Book 5)
Captured by a Gentleman (Book 6)
Pleasured by a Duke (Book 7)
Seduced by a Marquis (Book 8)
Tamed by the Earl (Book 9)
Series is now complete
Knight Security Series: Spin-off to ALPHA series
Resisting Alexandre (Knight Security 0.5)
Defying Asher (Knight Security 1)
Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)
Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3)
Tempting Zander (Knight Security 4)
Enticing Ian (Knight Security 5)
Seducing Ethan (Knight Security 6)
Series now complete
ALPHA Series:
Christmas Alpha (Alpha 1)
Dark Alpha (Alpha 2)
Shadow Alpha (Alpha 3) Author’s 200th Book
Midnight Alpha (Alpha 4)
Renegade Alpha (Alpha 5)
Warrior Alpha (Alpha 6)
Rogue Alpha (Alpha 7)
Savage Alpha (Alpha 8)
Series is now complete
Haydn (Steele Protectors 5) Page 13