Page 162 of Perfect Liar

“I’ve loved you for so long, you know that. I need this. I want you to belong to me.”

“But I do. I’m already yours.”

“I want you to be my wife. I need to know you’re not going anywhere.”

I could hardly breathe.

“Will, it’s just that?—”

But before I could say another word, he gripped the back of my head and aggressively kissed me.

“You and me, Elle, remember? All I have, everything I’ve done…my life…it means nothing without you.”

He kissed me hard again, but then quickly calmed himself down and kissed me with tenderness.

He was intoxicating, his kisses always like velvet, even when they were rough, and when he kissed me that way, when he spoke in that soft but commanding tone, I literally forgot my senses and forgave his brutal behavior.

We stayed in that moment, letting go of everything, losing ourselves.

I moaned against his mouth. He growled into mine.

And then, after we caught our breath, he pulled out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

CHAPTER 45

Will held the engagement ring against his chest, between his heart and mine.

The ring was sophisticated and timeless. It had a platinum band inset with diamonds, a sparkling fourteen-diamond halo, and an enormous ruby in the center.

William Hastings didn’t get down on his knee to propose. He didn’t recite some practiced proposal speech. No, he remained true to form—something I absolutely loved about him—and gave me a sharp command.

“Marry me.”

My pulse raced.

Fear driven by the unknown was the worst fear of all, and in my lifetime, a marriage never existed in my home. Marriage was my unknown.

My mouth went dry. I opened it and then closed it.

For me, there had never been any husband-and-wife role models. I’d lost my parents so young, and my grandfather had passed before that. Isabel had married her high school sweetheart, but David left her six months later.

I’d held my sister night after night while she cried.

What if marriage ruined Will and me too?

I couldn’t risk living without him.

I lowered my eyes.

We both wiped at the tears streaking down my face.

I wanted to tell him that I was scared. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, that I couldn’t live without him. I wanted to say there would never be anyone else for me but him, that there had never been anyone before him.

But my fear wouldn’t allow me to say the words.

I should have looked into his eyes and let him see my heart.

He went to the fireplace and put the ring on the mantel.