“Out or in?” he asks next, not drawing attention to what I said, for which I’m grateful.
Smacking another kiss to his lips, I say, “In.”
An hour later, I’m sitting next to Sonny at a dining table in another room I hadn’t seen before. It amazes me how big this place is. I know there still has to be so many rooms I haven’t seen yet, and that’s saying something since I didn’t exactly grow up in a small house either.
Eating a bite of asparagus from my fork, I chew with a smile on my face, watching Sonny. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks with a smile pulling on the corner of his lips.
“I like playing house with you,” I muse.
Taking my hand into his, he says, “I’m not playing, Ruby. I hope you aren’t either.” The sincerity and honesty on his face rivals the storm in his grey eyes.
Biting my lips, I think about how to respond to that. “I’m not being fake with you, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Do you want to be here?”
Tilting my head to the side, a little annoyed he’s asking me that again, I answer him with an eye roll. “Yes, Sonny. A thousand times yes. Why don’t you believe me when I say that?”
Releasing a breath and running his hands through his hair, he leans back in his chair. “Because it all seems too good to be true.” Sitting forward, he takes my hand in his again. “I wasn’t joking last night when I asked you to be my wife. But I also realize that you literally just turned eighteen.” He studies me for a moment before adding, “Nothing has to be rushed. We can take our time. But, Ruby? I want you to be next to me. Every day from here on. You calm me, giving me a sense of grounding that no one else ever has before. I’m drawn to you and always have been.” He pulls a small box from his pocket and places it on the table between us. “I love you, Tink,” he says softly with a gentle smile gracing his beautiful face. “Are you mine to keep?”
A single tear slides down my face, and I bite back the full sob threatening to burst out. I never felt unloved or unwanted by my family, but I also never felt like they knew me or cared to. There always seemed to be this sense of separation and I don’t know why, but it was enough to make me feel like an outsider in my own home, with my own family.
Listening to Sonny tell me that I ground him is like the last click in place. It’s exactly how I feel. He’s the only one that truly ever saw me—the real me. Ever cared enough to be there for the good and the ugly. I trust him more than I trust myself because I know he knows me best.
He may be drawn to me, but I crave him and everything he gives. He’s my perfect counterbalance in this world of unknowns. He’s the drug that I can’t quit.
I nod slowly. “I’ve always been yours. That’s never been a question to me. But are you mine?” I counter, my face morphing from crying emotion to hardened bitch. “I don’t like to share,” I add.
Pushing out of his chair, he drops to his knees in front of me. “You are the only one who has the power to bring me to my knees. There’s never been anyone but you. All I see is you, Tink.”
Running my hand through his hair, I grip it hard and pull his head back to look up at me before bending down to be in his face. “Good. Because I will kill anyone that touches what’s mine.” I watch as his greys darken. “Or tries to take you away from me.” I release his hair from my fist, pulling him into me and kissing him hard, biting his lip as I do.
“Looks like I’m not the only one with different sides,” he says with a wicked smile. He reaches for the box on the table and opens it, showing me what’s inside. “Will you wear my ring?”
My eyes drop to the sparkling gems inside. It’s a halo ring with a large pointed ruby in the center. Sapphires and diamonds crown the top of the red gem with a single diamond at the bottom.
“It’s beautiful,” I say.
“It was my mother’s and it belonged to my father’s mother before her. It’s a family heirloom that I want you to have and wear.”
“It’s a ruby,” I say like it’s news to him, making him smile.
“Which is why I always knew you were supposed to be mine. It’s only fitting that one unique and beautiful gem wear another.”
“You and your cheese,” I laugh with an eye roll.
“Will you just put on the damn ring?”
Biting my lips, I nod and hold my hand out for him. Sonny slides it up my finger, and it surprisingly fits like it was made for me.
“I love you too, Sonny,” I whisper as his lips press to my hand where his ring sits. When his eyes look up to meet mine, I smile. “Take me to bed.”
16
Sonny
I didn’t want to rush Ruby into doing anything she wasn’t ready for, but I also wasn’t going to be told twice. Normally, I’d have her stripped already and eating her for dessert before fucking her on the damn table.
But this wasn’t normal, and she wasn’t some faceless girl. This was Ruby. My Tink. I wasn’t going to rut into her like an animal the first time I had her. No, I was going to treat her like a queen while I filled every craving I’d ever had about her.
I blinked, and we were in my—our—room, door closed, her back pressed against it as I kissed her breathless.
Backing away from her, I sit on the edge of the bed. “Take your clothes off for me.”
“You first,” she sasses back. With a raised brow and loving her confidence, I take off my shoes and socks. “That doesn’t count.”
Cracking a smile, I say, “Sure it does. No man fucks with Oxfords on.” I love challenging her.
Walking to me, she stands between my legs and begins to unbutton my dress shirt. I’d already lost my jacket when I got home before dinner. Her hands slide up my abs to my chest, and then she pinches my nipples. Hard.
“Ouch!” I yell, batting her hands away.
“Now, stop being a jackass. Don’t you dare treat me like all the tramps you’ve slept with before.”
Rubbing my hand over my still-stinging chest, I realize she’s right. I want to be me with her, but I also can’t order her around, no matter how slow I try to take things.
My hands go to her hips, and I pull her closer to me. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She looks down at me with a big toothy smile. “I can’t believe I got you to apologize.”
“You are such a brat,” I laugh. “I can’t believe you had me feeling bad for a second.” Dropping my hands to her ass, I squeeze. “I’m going to have to punish your ass for that.”
“I look forward to it.”
“Remember you said that,” I tell her. Pulling her to straddle my lap, I scoot back on the bed.
Removing my shirt from my shoulders, she says, “Duly noted.” Her lips land on my jaw and kiss down my neck.
My fingers go under her shirt, and I unclasp her bra at her back. Moving my hand, I take her tits and work her up, playing with her nipples—much more gently than she treated mine. It doesn’t take long before I’m frustrated with the fabric between us and pull off her shirt and bra. My mouth going straight for her tantalizing peaks.