She looked up at me. “Okay.”
I grinned at her. “That’s my girl.”
“Daddy, do you think Hannah will fall in love with you?”
I swallowed. “Would you like that?”
“Yes, I want her to stay with us forever and ever…and ever.”
It was as if all my wishes had come true. “Let me see what I can do about that, okay?”
She grinned. “I can be the flower girl.”
I laughed. Things will work out, I could feel it in my bones.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Hannah
Light flooded my eyes and I tried to blink it away.
My body felt so heavy and all I wanted to do was to go back to the soft darkness I had come from. Everything hurt. I groaned as I half-opened my eyes.
Christian peered at me closely. His eyes were rimmed with red, there were dark circles underneath them, and his clothes looked disheveled and messy. "Oh, thank God you’re awake," he said with relief, as he stood and took my hand in his. "Can you hear me, Hannah?"
I nodded a little and winced at the pain. "What happened? I remember being in the car and I couldn't stop…" I trailed off.
Christian glared. There was a ring of white around his mouth. "Daphne is what happened. She hired someone to cut your brake fluid line. I'm so fucking pissed I let you leave on your own. I’m so sorry, Hannah. I would take your pain if I could."
"Shhh," I told him softly. "It’s not your fault. You couldn't have known.”
“I should have known,” he grated out in an anguished voice.
He looked so upset it broke my heart. “Don’t,” I whispered. “I’m alive and that all that counts.”
You’re alive by the grace of God,” he said bitterly.
“How bad is it?" I asked, trying my move my shoulder and feel pain ratcheting through my body. "Everything is killing me."
"You have a mild concussion from hitting your head on the steering wheel, you broke your arm, and the rest are bruises."
I glanced at my arm. "That would explain the cast.” I closed my eyes. “Ugh…and the pain."
Christian touched my cheek gently. It felt like a butterfly wing brushing against my skin.
I opened my eyes. He looked as if he was afraid even to touch me properly because he felt I might break. Honestly, I could understand why. I felt like I would break too. My eyes filled with tears and I watched with surprise as his did the same.
"It's okay. Everything's going to be fine," he said as he laid his head on mine so tenderly that I could barely feel it.
"What if she does this again?" I whispered. "She really hates me, Christian."
"I told you I'll protect you. She's already sitting in jail waiting to hear her fate. Gabriel refused to bail her out because of who he is, and she can't access any of the funds that were in their account. She has no choice but to answer for what she's done and so does he. Thank God, the security cameras at my building caught her and the man she hired together, as she pointed out your car. My security detail called the police immediately after they saw him go over and get under your car. I'm going to make sure she stays in prison for a long, long time."
Relief flooded me. Now that I knew there was no chance she could come back to haunt us, I could breathe freely again. Christian kissed me gently and I kissed him back, just happy to be alive and with him.
"God, I love you so much, Hannah," he whispered desperately against my cheek.
"I love you too," I whispered before I let the drugs take me back into soft, painless blackness.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Hannah
I hated not being able to do anything, but Christian had put me on strict bedrest orders. Not only that, he'd hired a new nanny, a lovely girl that was upbeat and chipper with Annie. Annie had given her a hard time for all of five minutes until I asked her to be nice and give it a chance. In the end, she was a good nanny and Annie started to like her. If I thought I was super Nanny, Patricia was that times ten. I had no idea how she had so much energy.
Weeks went by and I finally got my cast off.
I'd been so happy my arm was healed and I could finally take our Paris trip. We'd dropped Annie off with Christian's parents early in the morning and got on his private jet.
"I can't believe you have one of these." I sighed as I walked around. "It's so cool."
"I'll buy one for you too," he said as he pulled me into his arms.
"Don't be dramatic. I'm just admiring it, that's all."
Christian chuckled. "You know I can't help it. The minute you say you like something, I want to buy ten of them for you."
I touched his cheek. "That's because you're the sweetest man who has ever walked this earth. I am so glad that none of the women you were with realized it before me. Thank God, for dumb females."
He grinned, then led me back to the bedroom.
I still couldn't believe my eyes. It was lavishly done in gold and white. Hell, it was at least a hundred times better than my old bedroom at my apartment. Christian tugged me onto the bed and I knew I'd be occupying it for the next few hours doing my favorite thing with my favorite person.
We spent a long while getting great use of the Jet bed, then slept, then went at it again, until it was time to land and I had renewed energy all over again. My feet couldn't wait to touch Paris soil. I already had a list of restaurants I wanted to try and museums I wanted to visit.
"You're going to drag me all over, aren't you?" Christian asked as he watched how excited I was.
"Of course! Isn't that what girlfriends do?" I asked.
"You're not wrong about that, but I can't say that I mind at all." His green eyes sparkled at me.
* * *
The minute we were off the jet and into the bustling city, I was in awe. Everything was so new and different. I only knew minimal French having brushed up on my high school skills while I was laid up in bed. Christian, however, was damn near fluent. The minute he said anything in French, I was ready to jump him all over again. On his yummy lips, it just sounded so sexy.
"Where should we go first?" he asked.
I think I ended up being led around as much as he did. Christian ate where I wanted to eat and took me to all the touristy destinations, but he also dragged me to expensive, upscale boutiques for clothes, jewelry, and shoes.
I looked at one price tag and almost fainted. "I really don't need anything," I tried to insist.
"Nonsense. You like it, right?"
I pursed my lip and ran a finger down the silken spine of a gorgeous emerald dress I admired. "It’s pretty, but I wouldn’t pay that price."
"I would," he said.
I smiled instead of objecting. I knew how much it meant to Christian to spoil me and I didn't mind being spoiled in such a dreamy city. It was a special occasion, I wouldn't even fuss about it because as Natalie said, ‘You went for it and now, you deserve it. Go for it girl!’
"When are we going to see the Eiffel tower?" I asked.
"When it's nice and dark," he replied and picked out a few more things. "It looks nice lit up at night."
I smiled. "You're a sap when you want to be."
"That's for sure," he said pulling his black American Express out.
That evening, I wore the emerald dress that he'd liked so much on me. He looked at me as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Anyone would think I was an angel come down from heaven. I rolled my eyes.
Dinner was lavish and expensive, and the food was to die for. It was so good that by the time we were done, I was ready to curl up with a bottle of champagne, make love to him, and pass out in his arms.
"One more stop, remember?" he reminded me.
I sat up straighter as I felt excited all over again. "That's right, the Eiffel tower. I can't wait to see it."
Christian squeezed my hand and led me out of the car.
When we arrived, I gasped. He was right. I'd seen it online, but nothing compared to the grandeur and beauty of it lit up like this
… up close. My heart swelled with appreciation and I dabbed at my eyes. "I know I’m being cheesy and commercial, but this is so beautiful," I whispered.
"Not nearly as beautiful as you."
I glanced down at him in surprise when I saw he had shifted down to one knee. In his hand, he had a blue velvet box. My mouth opened. He had brought me to the Eiffel tower to propose? It must be a dream. Or some romance movie I made up in my head.
He opened it and showed off a ring that was so beautiful I stared between it and him. I’d suddenly lost any skill to speak or think coherently.
He stared up at me his green orbs shining. " You make me the happiest man alive. Every day when I wake up, I realize it's because of you that I've turned back into who I was meant to be. Remember how cranky I was in the beginning?"
I laughed and nodded as tears slipped down my face. "So cranky it used to drive me nuts and make me want to pick on you."
He grinned. "Well, you changed that. I want to make you happy for the rest of my life. Will you marry me, Hannah Gray?"
Now, here was something I didn't even have to think about. I nodded vigorously as tears splashed down my cheeks. I couldn't speak as I threw my arms around him. When I pulled back, he slipped the ring onto my finger.
People were clapping and cheering around us.
I never cried so hard in my life.
"I love you too much," he whispered as his lips brushed against mine.
"And I love you from the bottom of my heart," I whispered back.
Christian kissed me and my knees went weak.
At that moment, the only thing that existed was us. I can tell you now, I was damn happy to become the future Mrs. West.
Damn happy.
The End
About the Author
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Billionaire Needs Nanny Page 14