Love in Surrender (De La Fuente Family Book 8)

by Lexi Buchanan

  I think back and realize that I’m really happy. I’m living with the woman I’m in love with, and we have our own home. Over the past four months it has really taken shape and we’ve made it our own. I love walking through the front door every evening, knowing that I really am home. It’s more than I ever thought I’d have, and I can’t get enough of her.

  I once told Violet that I’d propose once I was out of the wheelchair, and although that happened months ago, I still need to get my act together. I’m not afraid of asking her. In fact, I’m not sure why I haven’t yet. Perhaps it’s something that needs rectifying at soon as I get home. I should never be too busy to make sure she knows how much she means to me.

  We have one more game left tonight and then we’ll be on the bus home first thing in the morning. I’ll be glad to get home, not just because of Violet waiting for me, but because I’ve gotten used to small town life so being in the city is irritating.

  The team have been excited to be in the arena, and not just because of the prize at stake, but because it gets them out of the noise. It makes me smile. We’re all just as bad as each other.

  It works out well having two girls on the team because they always get to share, and it helps with the school costs. I just wish some of the supporters from back home hadn’t made the trip because they just make my life more difficult. I’ve even gotten to the point of sneaking out just to get some peace.

  Hearing giggling, I realize I’m about to lose what peace I’ve found. Even Violet doesn’t know how difficult it has been for me with the groupies. Or ice bunnies, as they were known when I played. The only problem being they don’t want the players, they want me. So yeah, I’m having real trouble in that area.

  “Blake, do you mind if we join you?” one of the giggling girls asks.

  I turn to look at her and wonder just how old she is because none of them look twenty-one. “I need a few minutes alone.” I grimace. “You’ll be at the rink later, right?”

  “Yes.”

  Quickly glancing between them, I notice the blonde in the back not looking all that happy. Her friends disappear, and she stays, sliding up beside me.

  “You were staring at me,” she says, her voice husky.

  Knowing that I had stared shouldn’t make me feel uneasy, considering I was only wondering why she looked angry, and nothing more.

  “How about we celebrate later.” She smiles.

  “I don’t think my fiancée would like that.” I get up from the bar and leaning in whisper, “and I’m not into ice bunnies.”

  It seems the only peace I’m going to get, is in my room so after I’ve asked Coach to grab some water for me from the store, I go and hide out for a bit.

  Hearing a knock on my door, I’m expecting Coach but as I look through the eye in the door, I curse. The woman from the bar is standing outside with water in her hands. Closing my eyes in angry frustration, I shout through the door, “What’s up?”

  “Coach asked me to bring you some water.”

  Why would he ask her when he knows how much I try to avoid them? It doesn’t make sense.

  “Do you want the water or not?” she grumbles, while fluffing her hair and sticking her boobs out.

  Opening the door, she offers me a grin so wide I’m surprised her teeth don’t fall out. “Um, thanks.” I grab the water from her hand and quickly hide behind my door, making sure the security catch is engaged.

  I take another look out of the eye in the door and watch as she looks around her, twisting her bottle blonde hair around her sharp fake nails.

  “Whatever,” I mumble, twisting the cap on the water and taking a large gulp. I reach over and grab two mild pain meds to help take the edge off the pain in my right leg. It throbs with being on my feet too much over the past couple of days. I finish the water and lie back down on the bed.

  The room starts to spin so I quickly close my eyes before opening them again. I’m still dizzy.

  What’s going on?

  I’ve never reacted to the pain meds before.

  My body suddenly feels as though it’s on fire while sweat pours from me.

  This is swift and sudden, and I’m disorientated. The only other time I’ve felt like this was when I’d had an infection in my left leg.

  My phone rings, which is beside my hand.

  It’s Violet.

  “Babe,” I answer, not sure she will have heard me because of how weak my voice sounds.

  “Blake? What’s wrong?” she asks. “You sound so far away.”

  I groan. “I am.”

  “That isn’t what I meant. Why do you sound weird?”

  My vision starts to go hazy while I listen to Violet shouting down the phone. “Blake dammit. You’re scaring me.”

  “Call 911.” I drop the phone and have no idea where it lands.

  30

  Violet

  The moment I’d lost Blake on the phone, I’d called his hotel and got them acting fast. By that point I was in the car with Rich who was driving me to New York. He’d happened to walk into my office just as I was trying to rouse Blake by shouting down the phone. In my panic he’d refused to let me drive and I’m so relieved he had insisted.

  Coach called me not five minutes ago to let me know that he was still waiting for news of Blake. He wasn’t family so until someone was there they wouldn’t release any information. I got that. But Coach was with Blake.

  Rich doesn’t say a word as he pulls up at the entrance; he only nods toward the door. I rush out and straight inside.

  I don’t recognize anyone, but as I get closer to the reception desk, I spot Coach off to one side.

  “Where is he?” I ask before I’ve even reached him.

  He shakes his head. “The paramedics thought he was drugged.” He shakes his head. “They took him through there,” he points, “and they won’t tell me anything.”

  “Who do I need to talk to?”

  “Anyone I guess. I don’t know.”

  Feeling my heart pound in my chest, I approach a nurse who is writing on a large whiteboard. She stops and looks at me. “Can you please find out where my fiancé is, Blake Kelly? The paramedics brought him in a while ago.”

  “I’ll go and find out for you.” She disappears through some double doors, and maybe five minutes later she walks back out with a doctor trailing behind her.

  “Blake Kelly’s fiancée?” he enquires.

  “Yes. Please tell me how he is?” I wrap my arms around my waist hoping the man I love is going to be okay.

  “She’s not his fiancée,” a mean voice says from behind.

  I sharply turn and blink at the woman, wondering where I’ve seen her before, then it clicks. The ice bunnies that I’d witnessed eyeing up Blake that time when I’d stopped in to see him.

  “And you are?” the doctor asks.

  Feeling my anger rising, I turn to the doctor. “It doesn’t matter who she is. I’m his fiancée and we live together. You only have to check both of our driving licenses to conclude that as fact. Now, I haven’t dashed all the way from Boston to discuss this, I want to know how Blake is and I want to see him.” I face the doctor and glare until a wry smile appears on his face.

  He nods. “Come this way. I didn’t catch your name.”

  It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him he hasn’t asked, but instead, I reply, “Violet Flowers.”

  “Well, Miss Flowers, your fiancé is going to be okay. He was drugged with rohypnol, a rather a high dose at that. The paramedics grabbed the opened bottle of water from his room so I’ve sent that for testing. Blake is in and out of sleep, but other than a headache, he’ll be okay.”

  “When can I take him home?” I ask, and then I frown and look back toward the waiting area. “You said he’d been drugged?”

  The doctor nods.

  “I’m presuming the police are involved?”

  “They are.”

  “Ask them to talk to the blonde who interrupted us. I have a funny feeling about her.” I
hold the doctors gaze.

  “The officers are still around here somewhere so I’ll go and find them.” He smiles. “He’s in the room behind you.” With that the doctor disappears.

  Shoving into Blake’s room, he’s sleeping on the bed, but his eyes drift open and the relief on his face when he sees me has me in tears.

  My grief floods my eyes as I dash toward him and after I’ve dropped my shoes and jacket to the floor, I climb into the bed with him, and curl into his waiting arms.

  His arms clench tightly around me and he just holds me while I cry, and a little while later, I realize that he is crying too. I cup his face and brush a soft kiss across his lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as scared as I was earlier today.”

  “It scared me too, babe. Does anyone know what happened?”

  “The doctor says you were drugged. You know that much right?”

  Blake nods.

  “They think it was the water in your room,” I suggest.

  “Fuck!” he growls. “That bitch showed up at my door and told me Coach had sent it. I grabbed it off her and slammed the door closed.”

  “Blonde.”

  “Yes.” He frowns. “How do you know?”

  “I told the doctor that I was your fiancé, and she came up behind me saying otherwise. I gave the doctor what for, and he let me in. I did tell him to send the police to talk to her.”

  Relaxing, Blake pulls me closer. “She was in the bar and wouldn’t leave me alone so I left and went up to my room. On the way out though, I’d asked coach to get me some water from the store he was heading to. She obviously overheard.”

  “Hopefully they’ll get to the bottom of it.” I kiss his chest. “When can you leave?”

  Blake sighs. “They said tomorrow, but I’ve told them today. We’ve compromised and providing I’m still improving in a few hours then they’ll let me go into your care.” He kisses the top of my head. “I told them you would be on your way.”

  “I’d have come to you no matter where I was.”

  “Will you marry me?”

  I rapidly blink wondering if I heard correctly and looking up at Blake I know I heard him.

  “I’m going to do it properly soon, but I … will you marry me, Violet? Will you have my babies?” He wiggles his brows before becoming serious. He cups my face in his large hands. “I love you.”

  With tears leaking from my eyes and down my face I nod my head. “Yes,” I whisper. “I love you too. So much.”

  Epilogue ~ Blake

  My stomach turns with nerves as I check the table setting once more. I’ve remembered everything … dishes, silverware, wine glasses, napkins, candles … matches!

  Turning, I quickly head into the kitchen and root around in the ‘junk’ drawer and find what I’m looking for.

  On my way back outside, I turn the soft music on and then I light the candles.

  I’m not sure why I’m feeling nervous, Violet has already said yes, but I am. I want tonight to be perfect for her. She’s put up with a lot from me from the moment we’d met and tonight I’m going to make sure she knows how grateful I am for her perseverance and love. She’s always been there, even when I was a total asshole to her. I owe her everything.

  I’d thought about taking her out to wine and dine her with some dancing afterwards, but I’d changed my mind. I want our special moment to be between the two of us. Something that we can tell our grandchildren.

  “Blake,” Violet surprises me.

  She’s standing in the doorway looking around at what I’ve done to our back garden. I’d used fourteen strands of battery operated string lights to bring the place alive in the dark. But as I turn back to Violet, it’s the beautiful woman who leaves me speechless.

  She’s wearing the dress and shoes that I’d given Rich to give her along with a list of instructions that she had to follow. The pale blue fabric of her dress gently flutters in the slight breeze and her long legs as she moves forward in the strappy sandals, make me lose my train of thought.

  “You must have spent all day doing this?” she searches my gaze as I close the gap between us.

  “I put the lights up last night when I’d gotten home from work, and hoped that you wouldn’t notice.” I grin. “I did the rest tonight.” I’m so tempted to say hell to it and show her how I feel instead of telling her. I don’t though.

  I slide an arm around her back and pull her closer. “Let’s dance first,” I smile, “because I’m not sure I’m going to be able to concentrate on dinner if I haven’t had you in my arms.”

  “Anything that involves you touching me, I’m good with.” She reaches up and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I don’t ever want to forget this moment.”

  “Neither of us ever will,” I promise, and slowly coming to a stop. I get down on one knee and pray I don’t get stuck down here.

  “I keep my promises.” I wink and holding my hand out, I produce a teardrop diamond embedded on a platinum ring.

  “Oh,” she gasps, her hand covering her mouth, tears hovering on her lashes.

  “I know you’ve already said yes, but I’m a guy and would love to hear it again.” I grin. “Violet Flowers, I love you, with every breath in my body, will you be my wife?”

  Nodding and in tears of happiness, Violet tugs me up from the floor and throws her arms around my neck. “Yes,” she cries, and moving slightly away, she holds her hand out.

  The ring is a perfect fit for the woman who will always have my heart.

  THE END

  Family Tree

  Eric and Sylvia

  Daisy Francesca

  Tabitha Francesca

  Dante and Emelia

  Emma Lucia

  Daniel Joshua

  Mateo and Erin

  Francesca Maria

  Maria Louisa

  Jordan Mateo

  Aiden and Sarah

  Heidi Francesca

  Stephanie Francesca

  Jayden Emile

  Kasey and Felicity

  Blake Kasey

  Ben Luca

  Diego and Rae

  Emile Luca

  Raine Francesca

  Andie and Sawyer

  Sophia Louise

  Jordan Amy

  Blake and Violet

  Summer Rose

  Autumn Lily

  Flora Maria

  Dear Reader

  If you liked Love in Surrender, I would appreciate it, if you would help others enjoy this book too by recommending it to your friends, family, and book clubs by writing an honest, positive review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBook Store, Goodreads, etc.

  Acknowledgments

  Cover Design: Robin Harper, Wicked by Design

  Editors: Abigail Higson

  BETA Reader: Emma Clifton, Kathrin Magyar, Lynne Garlick, Nadine Winningham, and Sonya Covert

  Other books by Lexi Buchanan

  Bad Boy Rockers

  Book 1: Sizzle

  Book 2: Spicy

  Book 3: Sultry

  Book 4: Savor

  Book 5: Sinful

  Book 6: Silent Night (Novella)

  McKenzie Brothers

  Book 1: Seduce

  Book 1.5: The Wedding (Novella)

  Book 2:Rapture

  Book 3: Delight

  Book 4: Entice

  Book 5: Cherished

  Book 5.5: A McKenzie Christmas (Novella)

  De La Fuente Family (McKenzie Spinoff)

  Book 1: Love in Montana

  Book 2: Love in Purgatory

  Book 3: Love in Bloom

  Book 4: Love in Country

  Book 5: Love in Flame

  Book 6: Love in Game

  Book 7: Love in Education

  Book 8: Love in Surrender

  McKenzie Cousins

  (McKenzie Spinoff)

  Book 1: Baby Makes Three

  Book 2: A Business Decision

  Book 3: Secret Kisses

  Book 4: Kissing Cousins

  B
ook 5: If Only (coming 2018)

  Jackson Hole

  Book 1: From This Moment

  Book 1.5: When we Meet (Novella, in the back of From This Moment)

  Book 2: New Beginning (coming soon)

  Romantic Suspense

  Lawful

  Stryker

  Whispers in the Wind (coming 2018)

  Standalone Novella’s

  One Dance

  Educate Me

  Pure

  Holiday Season

  Kissing Under the Mistletoe

  A Soldier’s Christmas

  Written as Rona Jameson

  Come Back to Me

  Summer at Rose Cottage

  Twenty Eight Days

  Stryker, MMA Romantic Suspense

  written as Lexi Buchanan

  When my childhood friend, Cora, dared me to write a sexy novel about a martial arts fighter, I agreed, albeit under the influence of alcohol. It was something for me—something different and exciting.

  It was supposed to be research, pure and simple. But then I met him—a six-foot-six mountain of a man with no name. The way his muscles flexed and rippled when he trained made my belly quiver. The way his dark hair flopped over his forehead made me want to brush it back from his strong face. His nose had been broken, but it made no difference, he was still a handsome man. He had eyes dark as the night that would land on me the minute I entered his gym…Every…Time.

  He was their star fighter, the one that brought in the big money. At first I feared him because of his size and the way he would look at me. But then I discovered that I was his biggest distraction, and no matter what my head told me, my heart told me to fight for the man who didn’t know how to live outside of the octagon.

  Available at online retailers.