"I said I don't care," I say brokenly.
"I didn't mean to read Mary's messages," he says hoarsely, "and it made me think the worst. I didn't know at that time Kevin wasn't another man."
Kevin? Did he just say Kevin? Everything he did was because of...Kevin?
"Please say something, sweetheart."
The last part hurts, and I rear back unconsciously. "Please don't call me that—-"
"Then how about wife?" he demands roughly. "May I call you wife?"
The words make me think I'm hearing things, but when Nicolaas goes down on one knee, I realize I did hear him right—-
Oh God.
Nicolaas is holding up a ring in his hand. "How about now?" he asks tautly. "I know I messed up, and I know...I goddamn know I don't deserve you after what I've done, but...please, sweetheart. Please—-"
He grabs my hand, but when I instinctively try to yank free, his grip only tightens, and I'm stunned to see his bright blue eyes turn dark and haunted.
"Let go of me—-"
"I can't."
The rawness of his voice makes my eyes burn. I suddenly remember how Mary and just about everyone else describe Nicolaas as cold and ruthless, and how even the billionaire sees himself as a control freak. But when I look at him now—-
"I'm lost, Francesca," he says hoarsely. "I'm fucking lost without you—-"
All of his emotions are out of control.
Just completely out of control because—-
He's terrified, I realize numbly.
"I know I don't deserve you, I fucking know that...but I love you. I know that now, sweetheart. I love you, and so please...I'm fucking begging you."
It's there in his voice.
"Please just give me the chance to make up for it."
He's terrified...of losing me forever.
Nicolaas
My chest feels like it's turned to lead when I feel Francesca make another attempt to get her hands out of my hold, and this time she yanks hard enough that I have no choice but to slowly loosen my grip.
My arm swings down, and my fingers curl around the ring I was hoping to have her wear as my future wife.
I hear people around us talking, hear the faint clicks of their phone cameras and the furious taps of their fingers on their screens. I'm certain the Internet is going to fucking love making a fool out of me, but I don't give a damn.
All I know is that I was lucky enough to meet the girl of my dreams...and foolish enough to lose her all in one night.
She's done nothing but make me smile and laugh, even trust me with her heart and body...and how do I fucking pay her back?
By misjudging and leaving her, and worst of all, I wasn't able to stop myself from publicly humiliating her as well.
The truth of this is devastating, and I slowly find myself falling on both of my knees.
I truly don't deserve her, and if I love her—-
Really fucking love her—-
Then I should just let her—-
Fall down on her knees as well?
I stare at Francesca in shock when she ends up kneeling in front of me, and then I see the tears silently rushing down her cheeks, and my heart feels like it's about to rip itself into pieces.
"I'm sorry," I whisper hoarsely. "I'm sorry for hurting you—-"
Francesca is suddenly in my arms, and my entire body turns rigid.
"Promise me you'll never hurt me like that again."
Her words bring me to life, and my arms snap around her.
"I promise," I say fiercely. "I promise I'll never hurt you again."
"And lastly—-"
"You can ask me anything you want," I say desperately. "Ask as much as you want as long as—-"
Francesca wriggles out of my embrace, and when she presses her shaking fingers over my lips, the rest of my words fall into silence.
"I'll only take you back," she says tremulously, "if you do just one last thing for me."
"Anything, sweetheart. Whatever the fuck you want—-"
She wraps her arms back around my neck and whispers into my ear, "It's that."
The words make my body jerk against hers.
"I'll only take you back," Francesca whispers, "if you find a way to take my virginity in the next fifteen minutes."
What the hell?
I grab her shoulders and set her away from me just so I can look into her eyes—-
"Tick tock, Mr. Verhaege."
And that's when I see a familiar cheeky smile curving over her lips...even as Francesca works hard to blink back her tears.
I look at her, and I know I won't ever deserve her.
I look at her, and I know she'll always be the most beautiful thing to me...as well as the most outrageous.
"I love you." I have a sudden need to say it. "But I also think you're crazy for asking this."
"I love you, too," she returns without missing a beat, "but I also think you're wasting time—-ah!"
She's up in my arms again, and her soft laugh tickles my ear as I carry her out of the house. While I certainly didn't plan for this, I did happen to note earlier that the garden at the back was quite dark. No security lights or anything. It's just tall hedges and trees, and in moments I've found the perfect spot for us.