Fate’s Unseen Shadow (Cager #1)

Chapter 29

29

D amon had been right. She stepped back into her role as leader of Cassin Systems as though nothing had changed. In meetings, Teddy was a distant reference. Like an employee who’d retired instead of been murdered. But there was an enormous difference in her life. Instead of going home to her empty bed every night, she went home to Damon. Not at her old apartment, though. She’d sold that, refusing to step a foot back inside. For now, they lived in a hotel within walking distance of her building.

Another change was her normal routine now involved a hard-to-miss bodyguard. When Ella went to work, Damon went too. He’d claimed Teddy’s old office, not for prestige but to be close by and still give her space to run her company while he ran his. He refused to leave whenever she tried to push him to go back to Charleston. And honestly, she didn’t put in much of an effort.

But that arrangement had to change. After a month, she still hadn’t gotten used to that life. Not when she wanted to be back in Charleston with Damon and his friends. And it’d only taken her a month to realize she was the boss and could make that decision.

So, for the past week she’d rearranged how they did business at Cassin Systems. That meant promoting employees who deserved it and pushing others into new rules.

She created the life she wanted out of the tragedy she’d been through.

And, with Xavier’s help, Ella bought a house back home .

She belonged in Charleston with Damon and wouldn’t wait for a good deal to pass her by. If only the bossy love of her life would go along with her plans for once in his life.

Soon, she’d find out. They planned to go to Charleston for the weekend, and Damon didn’t know that she had no plans to leave there for a long time.

“That’s the last of the suitcases.” Damon closed the trunk and smiled. “Wow. You look ready to bartend tonight.”

“I am.” She’d swapped her suits for jeans and sneakers, excited to return to what she loved.

Damon shook his head. “You don’t have to do that anymore.”

“I want to. I miss it. And I miss Lacy.” She kissed his cheek and climbed into his car, but kept the door open. “We have a stop to make on the way into town if you don’t mind. I’ll tell you where to go when we get closer.”

She expected the hard look he shot her, but she rolled her eyes. “Go get in, Damon. I’m not going to tell you.”

He bent down, holding onto her chin. “I can make you talk,” he murmured before kissing her.

“You can, but we have an appointment. Get in the car.”

“Fine,” he said, reluctant, and closed the door. He reached for her hand after he’d gotten in and started the new sports car he’d purchased to replace the one she’d wrecked. “It’s about time to find you a car.”

“I’m enjoying us having to be together to do anything. Plus, I eventually want to have a family, so I’d want something bigger than this.” Damon’s face fell, and Ella started to backtrack. “I mean, we never talked about it, but I thought maybe in a year or two. Or maybe not,” she finished. Why had she blurted it out that way? “Just ignore what I said.”

“I want kids, Ella. But I figured, with your job, that you might not want them.”

“Plenty of working women have children.”

“I know that, but not many women are in your position. I never wanted you to feel pressure from me. I’m happy to keep your attention all to myself or have a family.”

She leaned his way. “I want the family.” She needed the family. Damon was incredible, and Xavier, Slater, and Ryker were like brothers to her, but it wasn’t the same. She wanted a family after losing so many of her own people she loved.

He kissed the back of her hand. “Just tell me when and where, and I’ll do my best to give you as many as you want.”

Accelerating, Damon flew down the interstate from Atlanta to Charleston. At the last second, she told him to exit. He didn’t ask questions and maneuvered through the roads to a subdivision past Ryker’s neighborhood.

“Why are we here?” Damon parked on the curb, right behind Xavier, standing outside his truck. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Xavier pointed to Ella. “This is all her.”

She caught up to him at the front of the car. “I bought a house.” She stepped in his way, holding onto his sides and watching for his reaction. It was a three-story coastal-style home with a pastel blue exterior with white trim and railings. Wide balconies fronted the second and third floors, while a central staircase led up to the main entrance. It reminded her of the historic homes downtown, but modern and new.

“You bought a house in Charleston?”

“I bought us a house in Charleston. If you like it, at least. I have three days to back out.”

Xavier passed Damon the key. “Don’t hurt me. This is all your girlfriend.”

Ella wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him. “This is less than half of what I got for my apartment in Atlanta.”

“I understand that, but”—he studied the structure—“a house? I realize you make fifty times more than I do, but?—”

“This isn’t about the house or money.” She was losing him. “You’ve given me more happiness than any money has ever brought me.” She stroked her hand down his chest. “I want to show you I’m here. I want to build something new with you. Please look at it. I had Xavier walk through to make sure I wasn’t missing anything in the pictures. I want to repaint the bathroom; otherwise, it’s ready to move in tomorrow. I was waiting for you to see it in person with me for the first time.”

“I don’t know how it will work with us living in Charleston.” He took her by the hand and started to walk up the driveway. “What about your job?”

“I’m done with Atlanta.”

He stopped walking. “Done? So you’ll work remotely?”

“No.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “I’ll work at Cager. I restructured CS to run without me for the most part.” When he stood there in shock, she stepped ahead of him, dragging him up to the front door quickly. “And if we don’t get going, we’ll be late for my first shift back.”

Halting at the front door, he crossed his arms, seeming to still be in disbelief. “You can’t be serious. You’re walking away from everything. Your hometown. Your career. The company. For what? To work at a bar?”

“No.” The word shot from her mouth. “I’m changing my life to make myself happy, and you are a massive part of that dream. I want you, Damon. And everything else. I still own Cassin Systems. And, if we’re lucky enough to have a child, they’ll have a chance to own it and run it, too.”

“Okay. Well, I need to handle my side of the bargain.”

“I don’t understand?” She caught a glimpse of Xavier striding up the driveway.

Damon held his hand out behind him, and Xavier passed him something.

“What?”

He stepped back. “This must be why Xavier told me I better be ready to open this box.” He dropped down to one knee.

The tears started before he could even ask the question. “Yes.”

With a laugh, he took her by the hand. “Ella, baby, you have to let me ask first.”

“Then hurry up.”

“Will you marry me?”

“Absolutely.” She let him slip the ring on her finger. “I love you!” She hugged him.

Xavier held up his phone, taking a picture. “Congrats, you two.”

“You could’ve warned me,” she called out to him.

“No way I’d have messed this up. The double surprise was too perfect.” He motioned to the house. “Go check it out. You own it, so you can break in every room in the house.” He winked before turning to walk down the driveway. “Don’t worry, I’m leaving. I don’t need to be around to hear that again.”

Damon kissed her temple. “Show me what you bought.”

“If you don’t like it?—”

He silenced her with a kiss. “If it’s what you want, it’s what we’ll have. I love you.”

She walked backward into the house. “You know, Xavier had a good idea.”

Damon bent down and hauled her over his shoulder, laughing. “I think it’s customary to carry you into the house.”

She happily let him haul her into their new home as she admired her ring. “You can carry me anywhere.”