Blackstone Inc. (Book 2)

Part 78

*Little shorter than usual, but it's a cute one so that's okay.*

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Waking up, I felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my head and didn't stop until I was nothing but mush.

I groaned and placed a pillow over my head as the light coming in from the window made the pain even worse.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling," I heard Preston ask from beside me, his voice deep and rough from sleep.

I took a deep breath and moved the pillow up from over my mouth and nose, "Like a cement wall after a demolition, but... I have some good news."

"Yeah," I could hear a strong sense of hope in his voice and was glad I got to grant his wishes.

"Yeah...I remember," I whispered, tensing as I waited for his reaction.

I heard him gasp before he started moving around and then pulled the pillow from my eyes, "Really, Daisy? You're not fucking with me?"

I smiled and tried to ignore my pounding head, "No, baby. I'm not fucking with you. I remember everything. I remember our first time, but also the two-week wait, and the trip to New York. I remember the Thanksgiving party, the first time I told you I loved you and then you said it back.

"I remember leaving you that night, and dying my hair, and spending Thanksgiving with your family, and learning how to shoot a gun from Dom—please don't kill him, by the way, I was the one who asked him—. The wedding, asking you to marry me, getting away from Katherine, shooting Hawthorne..."

I couldn't stop the tears that welled up in my eyes, "I remember seeing you battered and bruised, Preston. I remember them hitting you and I remember feeling the rage inside of me. I'd had enough and shot as many as I could with the help of that man.

"I remember getting shot in the shoulder and I remember seeing you up close. I remember feeling like I was going to die as I bled out. And then feeling like I'd never get to love you anymore, never get to marry you, never having a family with you... and then remember waking up not remembering you."

I took a deep breath and dried my cheeks, "But I'm back now and it's all over, Preston. It's just you and me now, no more fücked up past, no more rapist brothers...just us."

He pulled me up to his chest and I could hear his heart pounding, "When you woke up, Daisy...it was like...like I had a new found sense of purpose...and then when I realized that you didn't remember me...us...our time together...," he let out a shuddering sigh and then continued in a whisper, "You were only away for two days, but I missed you so fucking much, Daisy. I would've loved you no matter what, but the memories we have together...those can't be replaced."

"No, they can't," I whispered as I held on to him tighter.

I never wanted to let him go. I never wanted to be without him again. I never wanted to not remember him again.

I wanted him permanently, as my forever and always.

"Let's get married," I suddenly said.

He chuckled and smoothed his hands through my short hair, "We are."

"No, like...soon," I held my breath as I waited for his reaction.

Is this what he wanted too? Or did he want a long engagement?

We didn't even have rings yet and here I was running into this.

"It's too soon," I said quickly before he had a chance to reject me, "We've only been together for a short while. It's much too soon," I said as I looked down.

He pulled my hair until I had to look up at him, "How soon?"

"What," I asked as my brows furrowed.

"How soon would you like to get married, Daisy? It's never too soon for us, my precious little flower. I'd marry you today if that's what you wanted. I'd wait until we're 80 if that's what you wanted. I'll go anywhere you go, I'll do anything you want to do, I'll be what you want me to be," he kissed me gently.

"I don't care what we do, baby, as long as I've got you," he whispered.

"Really," I asked with my eyes clouded again.

"Of course, my beautiful, silly, frustrating, irresistible, hard-headed girl," he chuckled, "So, I ask again, how soon?"

"How fast can you throw something together," I asked, already knowing when I wanted it but wanted to know if it was a possibility.

He smirked, "With me being me? I could have any and everything ready by next week."

"How about...ten days from now," I asked with a hopeful smile.

He thought for a moment, maybe mentally counting down the days to see what the date would be.

And when he finally got it he smiled, "Are you sure you don't want it to be the day after?"

I shook my head, "Nope, I chose the day I wanted."

He nodded and kissed me gently, "Give me your ideas and I'll get on the phone."