"What I'm trying to say to you is that when I look at you I see my wife. I see a person of incredible integrity and honor. What I don't see is the sick son of a bitch who was your father and I don't know how to make you understand that -- to make you see that you are nothing like the man who donated his sperm -- except for putting it into terms that you can understand." My dad met and held Trace's stare before he offered, "I would be honored to call you son."
My dad placed his hand on Trace's shoulder before he added, "You, Trace, are very, very worthy."
Trace just sat there, his head lowered, and then I saw the shaking of his shoulders and realized that he was crying. I stood to go to him but my dad beat me to it as he lowered to his haunches, wrapped his arms around Trace, and offered him his shoulder. When Trace -- big, hard, bad-ass Trace -- turned and wrapped his arms around my dad and really cried on my dad's shoulder, I started crying in earnest because I knew, somehow, that my dad had finally gotten through to him.
My dad and uncle left after breakfast since they wanted to follow up on a few things but my thoughts were on Trace. He was in his office, had been since the talk with my dad, so after I cleaned up breakfast I walked down the hall and knocked on the door. He didn't answer so I walked in and found him behind his desk. He was turned from me, looking out the window, but I knew he was aware of my presence since it wasn't possible for us to be in the same room and not feel the other on every imaginable level.
"My nightmares, the ones recently, they're not about my past or my dad..." He turned then and looked me right in the eye.
"...they're about losing you. For twenty-eight years I believed I was a good for nothing and was self-destructive because deep down I believed I wasn't worthy and then you came into my life. Someone who lost so much because of the depravity of my family and yet it was you, even knowing what linked us, that made me feel good about myself and gave me hope to believe that I wasn't a worthless piece of a shit."
He stood then and came around his desk so he could pull me into his arms.
"Your mom tried to rescue me but it was you who saved me, Ember. The daughter of the woman killed because of my family is the one who saved me."
"Fate, Trace."
"I never believed in Fate but I do believe that you're right." He pressed a kiss to my head before he lowered to his one knee.
"This wasn't how I planned on asking you. I intended to get up on stage and make it a grand gesture but my feelings for you run so deeply that I think this way is more appropriate."
He reached into his pocket for a small black leather box. My heart was pounding in my chest as Trace opened it to reveal a beautiful platinum, oval-cut diamond ring. The sight of it being held in his hands had tears filling my eyes.
"There are so many reasons I could list as to why I want you in my life but the three most important are I respect you, I admire you and I love you. Marry me, Ember."
My tears were spilling down my face as I lifted my shaking hand and watched, with love, as Trace slid his ring onto my finger.
"Yes, I'll marry you."
He stood and wrapped me in his arms, lifting me up and spinning me around in circles. "You won't regret it, Ember, I'll make you deliriously happy: every second of every day."
"You already do, Trace."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Later that day, my dad and I were reviewing the contract that Lucien had messengered over while Trace and my uncle went to pick up Chelsea.
"I think this is a wonderful idea, Ember." He looked at me and smiled before he asked, "Am I going to meet this mysterious Lucien Black?"
"Actually..." the door bell rang. "...yes."
I walked to the door and pulled it open for Lucien. He stepped into the apartment and lifted my hand but stopped when he saw the ring on my finger. His eyes moved to mine as a smile touched his lips.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
He brushed his lips over my knuckles and then his attention moved to behind me. I stepped back and kept Lucien's hand as I turned to my dad.
"Dad, Lucien Black, Lucien my dad Shawn Walsh."
"Hello, sir, it's very nice to meet you," Lucien said as he walked to my dad and held out his hand.
"Please, call me Shawn. It's nice to meet you. Ember and I were just reviewing the contract you had sent over. Thank you for helping her make this possible."
Lucien's eyes found mine before he said, "It's my pleasure."
My dad grinned and then he added, "I'm not a lawyer but the contract looks good to me, in fact, it seems as if it was written with Ember's interests in mind and not your own."
Lucien's reply to that was to say, "She's my friend."