The gunshot echoed loud through the room.

The man slumped to his back.

Marcus turned, Brady came to his side, and Marcus handed him the gun.

“You’ll coordinate things with Dom?” he asked.

Brady nodded.

Marcus took that in.

Then he walked out of the warehouse.

* * * *

Sitting in the back of his car, Ronald driving, the phone held to his ear, Marcus heard it ring three times before Smithie answered with, “It’s after four in the fuckin’ morning.”

“It’s done.”

There was silence then, “What’s done?”

“Daisy’s safe.”

More silence before a muttered, “That Nightingale guy.”

Marcus said nothing.

“This does not make me happy,” Smithie announced.

Marcus felt his neck get tight. “How can this not make you happy?”

“’Cause, brother, whatever got done got done without me gettin’ my licks in.”

Marcus let out a breath. “You’re not that man.”

“Maybe you don’t know me too good.”

“I know you, Smithie, and you’re not that man. But I am.”

“Fuck,” Smithie bit out, his way of conceding the point.

“She’s safe. It’s done. We can all move on.”

Abruptly, Smithie asked, “You love her?”

Without hesitation, Marcus answered, “Yes.”

Smithie was back to muttering. “Fuck, now I gotta find a new dancer.”

Marcus smiled into the dark. “She likes to dance, Smithie, but yes. Eventually, she’ll be busy having our children, and my guess is Daisy will feel the need to put all her attention into that.”

“I like you enough to hope you don’t have girls,” Smithie mumbled.

Marcus hoped he did.

“Thank you for being the first man in her life she could trust,” Marcus said.

Again, there was silence.

After Marcus gave him time for that, Smithie replied, “Thank you for bein’ the second.”

Then Smithie hung up.

Marcus flipped his phone shut and turned his head to look out the window in order to watch Denver slide by on his way home to Daisy.

* * * *

“Boss,” Ronald growled.

Marcus stared out the windshield at Lee Nightingale standing beside the elevator doors, arms crossed on his chest, one booted foot up, the sole resting against the concrete.

Yes, Nightingale was good.

Marcus’s building was secure. In other words, it had armed security guards that looked after everyone, not just Marcus. There were codes. There were monitored cameras. And Nightingale looked like he’d been waiting for some time, undisturbed.

“It’s okay,” Marcus said.

Ronald swung into his spot and bit out, “Fuck!” as Marcus threw open his own door.

Lee pushed away from the wall. Marcus closed his door and met him halfway across the short space.

Nightingale shoved his hand in his pocket as Ronald warned, “Not another move.”

“It’s fine, Ronald,” Marcus said, not looking from Nightingale.

He pulled his hand out of his pocket, lifted it, and from his fingers dropped a necklace—delicate gold chain, at the bottom a row of pearls.

“Wasn’t the time to give you this an hour ago,” Nightingale muttered.

Marcus lifted his hand palm up.

Nightingale let the pearls go and they fell into his hand.

His fingers closed around it.

“Do you work on retainer?” Marcus asked.

Lee Nightingale’s head twitched.

And then he smiled.

* * * *

Marcus slid into bed beside Daisy, gliding a hand over the silk at her belly and pulling her back into his front.

He curled into her.

Her fingers curled to link through his at her middle.

“Everything good?” she asked sleepily.

He buried his face in her hair.

“Everything is perfect.”

Her fingers tensed in his.

He pulled her deeper into his body and whispered, “You’re safe now, darling.”

At that, her entire body tensed.

She let his hand go, turned in his arm, and slid hers around him.

He could feel her gaze in the dark.

“Are you okay?”

Marcus tangled his legs with hers.

“I’m fine, honey.” He gave her a squeeze. “Are you?”

“Peachy.”

He grinned.

She snuggled closer.

“Love you, baby,” she whispered.

“Love you too, darling.”

She stiffened then melted in his arms.

He’d had to wait to say it. He’d had to wait until he knew he’d done all he could to make it as right as he could make it.

He’d done that.

So he said it.

“A dream,” she murmured.

“Sorry?”

“You. You’re the dream a girl like me never thought she could dream.”

She was right. She’d told him she’d never given herself a prince charming.

But now she had one in the way he came.

So all that was left was to build her a castle.

And Marcus was going to take care of that too.

Epilogue

Annamae

Daisy

I stood in the suite and stared out the windows at the snow-covered mountains while Michelle closed the door behind the girls who’d done my hair and makeup.

“Gosh, but you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”