And she’d had three weeks since then, but probably wasn’t certain of his reaction.

To let her know exactly how he felt about it, Jackson drew her in for a long kiss. When he lifted his mouth, she leaned into him.

“I’m so sorry, Jackson. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it—”

“I love you.” He tipped up her chin. “I didn’t know anything was missing until I met you. I didn’t know I could be so…satisfied.”

“Sexually?” she whispered, sounding scandalized.

He had to grin. “That, for sure. But I meant with life. With every damned day.” He lifted her off her feet and swung her around. “Damn, woman, but you make me happier than I knew was possible.”

She smiled now, too. “And if I’m pregnant?”

“I hope you are.” As he said it, he knew it was true. Alani, a baby…his own family. He nuzzled her neck, but when Grim complained, he bent to scoop him up again. “If you aren’t, well hey, I’m willing to work on it. Whatever you want, honey.”

Laughing, she put her arms around him. “Know what I want right now?”

“I can hope.”

She poked him in the ribs. “I want us to go be with our family and friends.”

Yeah, thanks to Alani, they were like family to him. The idea of that had never much mattered before. But now? He almost enjoyed Dare and Trace’s overprotective meddling. “I get to tell your brother we’re getting married, okay?” He frowned. “That is…you will marry me, right?”

“Since you promised me whatever I want, I’ll insist on it.”

Grim looked between them, gave a scratchy meow and began purring.

Jackson hugged her again. “I wonder if we’ll be able to talk Arizona into attending the wedding?” Whether Arizona wanted to admit it or not, she was also a part of his family now. Alani wouldn’t have it any other way.

“If we invite Spencer,” Alani said, “I’m betting she’ll be there with bells on.”

USING THE SPECIALIZED, highly secure program that Jackson had given her access to, Arizona finished up her report. With a printout in front of her, she tilted back her chair and perused the details.

The words almost blurred in front of her. A sad story. But that was reality for you.

She’d finished all the work Jackson had given her, and then some. Plenty of scumbags would go down. Plenty of women would be safer for it.

She had no reason to feel guilty for her extracurricular investigation, especially when it had given her so much insight into Spencer Lark.

It still infuriated her that he’d robbed her of her vengeance. She’d worked so long and so hard to find everyone associated with Chandra, everyone who might have played a role in the downturn of her life.

No, she hadn’t known Chandra still lived, but once she’d found out, well, it was her right, her duty, to take care of her. Course, with what she’d just learned, she knew Spencer had his own reasons for vengeance.

They had a few things in common.

Soon, she’d find out if it’d be enough to form an alliance. She needed someone like him. She needed someone with his ability.

He owed her. And one way or another, she’d collect.