She smiles, big and beautiful. “You silly fool, you could have asked three years ago and I would have said yes.”

I chuckle and pop the ring box open, fighting back my emotion as I pull the simple diamond band out and slide it on her finger. She makes a sobbing sound as it slides on perfectly. I get up off my knee and pull her into my arms, staring down into the eyes I’ve come to love so deeply.

“Thanks for tripping in the hall that day.” I grin down at her.

“Thanks for tripping me.”

I press my forehead to hers, and we stand, looking into each other’s eyes.

Yep, best day of my life.

THEN – MARRIED LIFE – MAX

I walk in the front door, filthy from a day working in the garage. I can smell freshly baked cookies and I grin. Belle loves to spoil me when I come home from work, and she’s forever baking or creating something. I round the corner into our kitchen and see her leaning over the side of the counter, legs swinging in the air, as she tries to get something from the sink. It would be a whole lot easier for her to just walk around and search, but not my Belle—she does everything the most difficult way.

I walk up behind her and put both of my hands on her ass. She squeals and lifts her head, looking over her shoulder. She’s got flour on her nose. Fucking cute. I squeeze her ass, feeling my dick get hard in my pants. Five years we’ve been together, and fuck, I still want her as much as I did the day I met her. I press myself against her and she stops what she’s doing, and her eyes grow hooded.

“Makin’ me cookies again, beautiful?”

She smiles.

“Are you tryin’ to make me fat?”

She giggles and spins around, wrapping her legs around my waist. “Of course. If I don’t ruin you for other women, how will I ever survive?”

I grin and lean down, kissing her hard. She reaches up and curls her fingers into my hair. She doesn’t care that I’m dirty, or covered in grease. No, Belle takes me any way I come. She says she loves the way I smell when I’ve just finished work, and I spend most afternoons deep inside my wife because she can’t get enough of me. It’s usually hard against the counter or over the couch.

“I’d love to enjoy our usual afternoon romp . . .” She smiles. “But I can’t.”

I bite her lower lip. “Why not?”

“Aunt Flow is in town.”

I pull my head back and meet her eyes. “Blue Belle, did you just call your period Aunt Flow?”

Her eyes twinkle. “It’s a nice way of saying it.”

I snort.

“So you’re going to have to take care of your problem in the shower.”

I blink at her, and she bursts out laughing, wrapping her arms around my neck and standing us both up by pushing me back. “I’m kidding. Oh my God, the look on your face.”

“I’d rather go without than use my hand,” I mutter.

“I like it when you use your hand,” she says, kissing my neck.

“That so?”

“Mmmm.”

“If I use my hand, will you use your mouth?”

She steps back and taps her bottom lip with her finger, acting as if she’s thinking about it. “I suppose that’s a good compromise. Better make it worth my while, handsome.”

I grin and back up until I hit the couch. I reach for my pants and waste no time tugging them down. When my cock springs free, Belle licks her lips. Her eyes move down and I grow harder under her gaze. She loves when I touch myself, more than anything. I pull my dick free and curl my fingers around it. Slowly, I start stroking.

“Do it slow, Max,” she groans, sliding onto the table and sitting, watching me.

“Only so slow I can go, baby,” I growl, using my thumb to slide back and forth over the mushroom-shaped head.

“How does it feel?” she asks in a thick voice.

“Not as good as you, Blue Belle, but it’s fuckin’ sweet.”

She makes a happy sound in her throat and her eyes don’t move off my hand stroking over my dick. Fuck, I feel my balls crawling up farther and farther as I near closer to the edge. I clench my jaw and try to hold it back, fighting the pleasure riding higher.

“You better get over here and put your lips on me, baby, or I’m goin’ to mess your sofa.”

She scurries off the table, dropping to her knees before she even makes it to me. She moves across the floor in that position and the moment she reaches me, she covers my hand with hers and starts the same rhythm. I slip my hand out quickly and lean back, tangling my hand into her hair, pulling softly. She moves her hand down and then lowers her mouth, closing it over my head. I groan and let my head fall back.

She loves having her mouth over my cock.

And fuck if it isn’t one of my favorite things in the world.

“You treating my daughter well, son?”

I am flipping burgers with Belle’s dad, spending some time with them before the summer ends and I take over the club my father has been running since I was a kid. He passed four months ago, and now it’s my turn to step up. I always thought football would be my life, but after I met Belle, things just changed. I don’t regret not going down that path, but I never saw myself working a club, either.

“Always, sir.” I grin, staring over at Belle who is laughing with her mother, head tipped back, looking so fucking radiant.

“How’s work going?”

“I’m taking over the club after the summer ends. At the moment, I’m using the money my dad left to get it renovated, trying to give it a newer look, make it my own, you know?”

“You don’t sound too happy about that.”

I turn to him so my back is to the women. “It’s not really the path I thought I’d be going down, but it’s been in my family for a few generations. I don’t think I’ve got what it takes to part with it.”

“You always wanted to be a football star. Why did you decide against that? You always knew the business was the family, but you still chose that path.”

I shrug, sipping my beer. “I met Belle, and suddenly that life just wasn’t what I wanted.”

“You had talent, son. It mustn’t have been easy to give that up.”

“No, but she’s worth so much more.”

“Do you think you’ll ever regret that?” he asks seriously.

“Regret giving up something to gain something better? Fucking never.”

He smiles, one that reaches his eyes. “Tell me about your plans for the club.”

I spend the next hour telling him what I plan on doing with the House Of Obsidian.

What I don’t tell him is that the plans I have for his daughter are so much bigger.

There’s only one life I want with her, and that’s a fucking beautiful one.

CHAPTER TWELVE

NOW

ANABELLE

My heart races as I enter the underground area of the House Of Obsidian. People are roaring, feet are stamping, and money is being waved around. I don’t really like being down here, but I need to see him. The girl at the bar said he was fighting tonight. I know Max fights, but I’ve not seen it, and the very idea terrifies me. I don’t know how I’ll handle seeing that side of him, but I’m not backing down now.

I push through the crowd until I reach the fighting ring. I can’t see anyone there, so I look left and right, adjusting my short black dress as I scan the crowd. I notice Max near a back door, talking with two men. They all open it and step in, and I know this is my only chance. I shove past drunken, raving people until I reach the door. I test the handle and it’s open, so I push it open and step inside.