Page 81 of Reaper & the Lioness
“Oh, honey, you’re even prettier in person.”
Eva’s face flushed red, but the tension left her shoulders.
Mom turned to me, her eyes twinkling. “Roman, dear. It smells amazing in here.” She pulled me into an embrace. “She’s lovely,” she whispered. “Don’t mess this up.”
Linc followed with a bottle of wine in each hand. He handed them to Eva with a wink. “You can’t spell ‘family’ without alcohol.”
Eva laughed, the sound genuine and relaxed despite her earlier anxiety. “That makes absolutely no sense at all.”
Linc scooped up Poppy, the brindle-colored pup wriggling in his arms. “So, when are you two making this little girl officially part of the family?”
“She’s just a foster,” Eva insisted.
Linc gave me a knowing grin. “Sure, sure.”
The doorbell rang again, setting off another round of excited barking. I opened it to find Joel, Eva’s dad, standing on the porch. His eyes crinkled as he smiled, taking in the chaos behind me.
“Joel, come in,” I said, ushering him inside. “I’d like you to meet my mother, Susan.”
As they exchanged introductions, the door swung open again. Thane and Rhetta walked in without knocking. I caught the expression on Joel’s face—a mix of surprise and uncertainty. Eva clearly hadn’t filled him in on all the details of our life yet.
Thane and Rhetta hung up their cuts and greeted everyone, hugging Susan like old friends.
“Joel,” I said, sensing an opportunity. “Mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?”
Rhetta, already in on my plans for the night, chimed in. “Great idea. Eva, let’s open that wine Linc brought. I picked it out for him, so I know it will be good.”
I smirked as Eva grabbed her wine glass, already filled with grape juice, ever so prepared to keep our secret for now.
After removing the turkey from the oven, I turned to Joel, pulling out a small velvet box. Joel’s eyes widened as I opened it, revealing a vintage-style emerald ring.
“I want to ask Eva to marry me tonight,” I said, my voice low. “I hope I have your blessing.”
Joel’s face broke into a wide smile. “My daughter has never been so happy. You absolutely have my blessing.”
Silenced filled the kitchen for a moment, and then Joel cleared his throat. “So, your best friend is the president of a motorcycle club. Eva hadn’t mentioned that.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I noticed you caught that and figured she hadn’t told you anything yet. I think she wasn’t quite sure how. To keep it simple, Thane’s the president of the Mavericks. And I’m his VP.” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “I do everything in my power to keep Eva safe from that part of my life. But honestly, she doesn’t need protection. That daughter of yours is a force of her own.”
Joel nodded, a mix of pride and concern in his eyes.
“She doesn’t need a knight in shining armor because she’s too busy forging her own goddamn sword,” I said, admiration coloring my tone. “She’s tougher than most men I know. I’m not the only one who watches out for her, though. Every single Maverick stands ready to protect her.”
Joel’s expression softened. “She is a strong woman. I raised her that way. But life has hardened her more than it should have.”
I nodded as I added a bit of salt to the bowl of mashed potatoes. “I know. She’s been through more hell than she deserves. I’ll do everything I can to make sure she never has to worry again, though.”
I handed him the bowl of potatoes and picked up the platter holding the turkey, carrying it to the dining room and placing it at the center of the table. The spread of food displayed before us could belong on the cover of Southern Living magazine.
As we gathered around the table, the warm glow of candles flickered. I took in the sight before me. While I considered all my men family, Thane was as important to me as Linc. Seeing our parents at the table and Eva’s glowing expression fulfilled me in a way I’d yet to fully comprehend.
I stood and raised my glass. “I just want to say how thankful I am for all of you—especially Eva.” I turned to face her. My heart thundered as nerves I didn’t know I had surged to the surface. “You’re my Lioness. Fierce, protective, and loyal. You face every challenge head-on with a courage that never ceases to amaze me. Your strength isn’t just in your ability to stand up to danger, but in the way you love.”
The ring box weighed heavily in my pocket. “Before we carve the turkey, I just have one question …” I dropped to one knee in front of the only person in this world I would kneel before. The room fell silent as I pulled out the vintage ring, its teardrop emerald surrounded by marquis diamonds catching in the candlelight. “Will you marry me?”
The room fell silent, all eyes on Eva as tears welled up in her eyes. “Yes, Roman,” she whispered, then louder, “Yes!”
As cheers erupted around us, I slipped the ring onto her finger.
