“Okay,” she giggles, “I’ll put them away…for now. But only because I’m excited to wear this dress tonight and don’t want it destroyed. It took forever for me to get ready, and my makeup is too flawless for you to mess it up in a matter of minutes.”

  “Seconds…it would take seconds for me to ruin your dress and your makeup. You can time me later,” I grin. “Right now, let’s get you a drink before our ride gets here.”

  “Ride?” She asks, following me to the bar.

  “Didn’t I tell you?” I ask, feigning surprise.

  “Tell me what?”

  “Well, everyone will be drinking, and I thought it would be fun if we all rode together, so I rented a limo,” I shrug, looking at my watch. “It should be picking up your brothers one by one right now.”

  “A limo?” She grins. “I’ve never been in a limo before.”

  “Truthfully, me neither,” I laugh. “I usually just Uber to these things…alone. I guess we both get a first tonight.” We arrive at the bar, and I pour her a glass of chilled Prosecco and hand it to her.

  “This is going to be so fun!” She beams, kissing me soundly on the lips before walking over to her parents on the sectional.

  I smile at her excitement as I pour myself a neat bourbon. Even though this ball is for a good cause and to raise money for The Grace Foundation, I’ve always dreaded having to go to these events.

  Public speaking and walking around kissing everyone’s ass that could be an important donor is not something I enjoy doing, but it’s not about me—it’s about the kids.

  So once a year, I put on this tuxedo, invite my rich teammates and some heavy spenders in the area who have more money than they know what to do with, and do my best to raise as much as I can for the kids who need it.

  I’ve got a team that runs the foundation and puts this all together, so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining that all I have to do is show up.

  Besides, tonight might actually be fun this year. I take a sip of my drink and watch Savi laugh at something her dad says. Having her by my side all night is going to make this a whole hell of a lot more bearable.

  Or unbearable…depending on how you look at it, as I watch her slender throat move as she swallows a sip of her sparkling wine. Her bracelet flashes in the light, and I have a strong urge to kiss the underside of her wrist again.

  Why the fuck am I getting turned on so much by a wrist?

  My phone dings on the bar, and I see that the driver has arrived. This will be my first time seeing her other brothers since Miles broke the news to them. I have no clue what to expect when I see them, but I’m hoping the bourbon and champagne I had stocked in the limo will be a good start to getting on their good side.

  Downing the rest of my drink, I walk over to the sofa to where Savi is showing her mom the bracelet.

  “Limo is here. Everyone ready?” I hold out my hand to Savi and help her up off the couch.

  “We are so ready,” she says excitedly, squeezing my hand.

  Locking the door behind me, we head to the black limo parked on the street. Savi peeks her head in, and the girls immediately start gushing over how good everyone looks as we all pile in.

  Once we are settled, and the driver pulls away, it’s Travis who is the first to look me dead in the eye and get my attention.

  “So, you want to date our sister.” He leans back and puts his arm around his wife, Sophia, who side-eyes him, placing a hand on his thigh, undoubtedly to try to calm him. “Not sure going behind our backs was the right way to do it.”

  “Travis, you are not about to ruin this evening. It was my choice to keep it from you all until we had time to process. And clearly, it was the right choice,” Savi says, looking at him sternly. She’s obviously not intimidated by his six-foot-four frame and stormy grey eyes that are still focused on me.

  “Not ruining the evening, Sav, just want to see where his head is at.”

  Savi starts to go at him, and I place my hand on her thigh to stop her words.

  “It’s okay, sunshine,” I murmur. “He’s just looking out for you, and I respect that.”

  I glance at Miles, and he’s clearly enjoying himself as he watches all three of his brothers stare me down. I’m not going to lie, having all four of the Montgomery brothers in a small space with all pairs of eyes on you at once would intimidate even the strongest of men.

  “Given our history, I probably should have come to you all first out of respect, but Savi is a grown woman, and whether you like it or not, she doesn’t need your approval on who she can and cannot date.” I feel Savi’s hand cover mine as she silently stands by me. “But,” I say, looking at each of her brothers, “having your approval will make this a hell of a lot easier on her, and she’s all that matters to me.”

  “What if we don’t approve? Do you walk away?” Jake asks, studying me closely for my reaction.

  “Jake…” Lyla looks at her husband next to her.

  “I just want to hear his answer,” he murmurs, keeping his eyes trained on me.

  “I want to know it as well,” Ryder chimes in as I glance in his direction to meet his intense greys that are locked on me.

  “If you don’t approve, then I’ll ask Savi what she wants. If not having your approval is too hard on her, I’ll only walk away if she asks me to. Even though I want your approval,” I say firmly, matching their stares with one of my own, “I don’t need it. I’ll choose Savi. Every…Single…Time. You all are like brothers to me, but Savi is my future, and I’m choosing her with or without your permission.”

  I watch a smile play on Travis’s lips as his brothers follow suit.

  “Does that answer your question?” I ask, looking around at their now grinning asses.

  “It does,” Travis grins. “Tells us exactly what we needed and wanted to know.”

  “Which is?” Savi asks, looking baffled.

  “That he has the balls to put you first,” Jake grins, taking a sip of his bourbon.

  “We had to make sure you were important enough to him. Not a lot of guys would be willing to go against all four of us just to make you happy,” Ryder chuckles.

  “Men,” Eve says, rolling her eyes.

  “The testosterone in here is suffocating,” Olivia mutters.

  “Looks like you made it past the last hurdle,” Miles grins, lifting his glass in the air. “Welcome to our family…again.”

  “He wasn’t going anywhere,” Meaghan huffs. “Dad and I already gave him our blessing. You boys would have just had to get over it.”

  “Agreed,” Trevor says, shaking his head at his sons.

  “We couldn’t let him get off that easy,” Travis grins at his mom. “Just having some fun while we get a feel for the relationship side of Knox that we’ve never seen.”

  “Glad you had your fun,” I smirk.

  “We did,” Jake laughs. “I’m just glad you had the right answer because this limo ride would have gotten extremely awkward.”

  Shaking my head, my lips quirk up as I settle back in my seat. The conversation around us flows easily now that they’ve gotten that off their chests.

  “Glad that is over with,” Savi leans over and whispers in my ear.

  “You and me both,” I chuckle softly. “We just have one more thing left to do.”

  Looking out the window, I see the cameras already flashing as important guests arrive at the event. Each year, this ball gets bigger as more celebrities show up to mingle with professional athletes.

  The press is already swarming the place as we pull up to the curb. I know the moment I step out with a girl on my arm that it’s going to be a frenzy. It’s not something I ever do, so I’ll undoubtedly be raising questions on the internet tomorrow with our picture plastered everywhere.

  “What could possibly be left?” She laughs, peering out the window.

  “Telling the world,” I mumble as I take her hand in mine. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right.

  After tonight, there won’t be a single doubt in tomorrow’s headlines when it’s revealed that Knox Stone and Savannah Montgomery are indeed together.

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  SAVI

  I feel his fingers tighten in mine as the door opens and we step outside onto a red carpet leading us to the entrance of the building. I knew these events he does once a year to raise money for the foundation had gained recognition, but I didn’t realize just how big they’d become.

  As soon as the press sees Knox, it’s like moths to a flame as cameras start flashing in all directions behind their designated area. Even fans are mixed into the crowd as they excitedly yell his name to get his attention.

  “Stay close to me, sunshine,” he says quietly under his breath as one of the event coordinators leads us toward an assigned area for pictures.

  His arm goes around my lower back, keeping me locked to him at all times as we pose for a few shots.

  “Who’s with you tonight, Stone?” One of the reporters asks from the crowd.

  “My girlfriend,” he says without hesitation, and I smile up at him. His eyes hold a devilish look right before he leans down and kisses me right in front of everyone. I feel the camera flashes go off behind my closed eyes, but I easily tune them out as Knox’s lips make everything around us disappear.

  “Now we’re officially over the last hurdle,” he breathes against me. “The whole world will soon know you’re mine.”

  “That’s why you kissed me,” I murmur, putting the pieces together.

  “I didn’t want there to be any doubt,” he grins.

  “Do we get a name?” Another one shouts out from behind his camera, pulling me out of my daze.

  “You’re a reporter, I’m sure you can figure it out,” Knox says, grinning at the guy and causing a few chuckles in the crowd.

  We stand for a few more candids before my family joins us for a group photo. Once the publicists are satisfied, they usher us to a few reporters who were selected for the interviews. Knox answers a few questions about the foundation and the cause, always keeping me close to his side as he’s speaking.

  I know he doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight, but damn does he look good in one. It’s hard for me not to admire the man beside me as he talks to the news outlets.

  When he’s finally done, we head inside and make our way to the ballroom.

  “Wow,” I whisper, stepping inside the vast room all decked out with grand chandeliers and several tables showcasing beautiful flower centerpieces.

  “This place is gorgeous,” Lyla says in awe, admiring the white roses that are filling the air with their sweet scent.

  “Starting at two grand a plate, it should be,” Knox chuckles.

  “A plate?” Eve asks, shocked. “There must be around four hundred people here.”

  “Four hundred and fifty to be exact,” Knox smiles. “We sold out with this one. A lot of kids are going to be happy this year.”

  As my family heads to the bar, I turn and wrap my arms around his neck. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that.” I smile up at him as his hands run along my bare back.

  “I’m just doing my part,” he shrugs. “It filled a void in me to work with these kids during the summer. I’m thinking of expanding The Grace Foundation and adding another cause to it,” he says quietly. He’s deep in thought as his eyes scan the room.

  “What cause?”

  He focuses back on me, his blue eyes lost in the past, as I watch some of the pain resurface briefly. “McCormick and I got to talking one day, and it seems like he and I have a lot more in common than I thought,” he chuckles sadly. “He grew up in a group home and was in the foster system for a while. Hockey was a good outlet for that anger, just like it was for me. Before we were teammates, I guess we both liked to use each other as a punching bag. In a fucked-up way, we knew the other could take it…enjoy it even. We both were just trying to outskate our demons. Pain recognizes pain, I guess.”

  “Knox…” Every time he talks about his past, my heart breaks all over again. All I want to do is hug the little boy inside of him who never felt love like I did growing up.

  Smiling sadly, he brushes his thumb against my cheek. “No more tears for me, sunshine,” he says softly as I fight to hold them in. “It’s in the past, and I’m here with you now. That’s what matters.”

  I nod slightly and do my best to blink them away before they fall.

  “For a lot of kids, though, they are still living the hell that McCormick and I went through. We’ve been talking about using the foundation to set up more private group homes that specialize in abused and neglected children, whether it’s from their own homes or in foster care. They would get access to better therapy and also athletic programs that would otherwise cost too much. If kids have a safe person to talk to and can find a passion that lights them up, then the world doesn’t seem so dark anymore. It gives them a reason to keep fighting.”

  “I think that’s a really wonderful idea,” I say softly, feeling my love for this man grow even more—something I didn’t think was possible. “You know… When I went through what I did, our family dog got me through some tough times. I told him all my secrets and fears. Just lying in bed with him at night made the nightmares more bearable. Maybe I could help in some way? Find a support animal for the homes you fund?”

  “I love that idea,” he smiles. “I also really love the idea of you being part of all of this,” he says, looking around at all the people who came out tonight to support his cause.

  “I like being part of it too,” I beam.

  “Damn, Savi! You look fucking amazing. If things don’t work out with Knox…”

  “I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” Knox growls, cutting Jett off as he appears at his side.

  “You’ve got to stop teasing him,” I laugh. “He’s going to have an aneurysm one day.”

  “I don’t think I can stop. It’s too much fun.” His blue eyes twinkle with amusement.

  “Try, dammit,” Knox mutters.

  The rest of the lineup appear one by one, and I feel like I’m suddenly surrounded by GQ models as they each give me a hug. No wonder the tickets sold out. Most girls would pay twice the amount just to spend the evening with these six in their tuxedos.

  “How’s Scarlett doing?” I ask, turning to Cayden at my side.

  His vivid green eyes light up when he hears his daughter’s name. Knox had mentioned going over to his place and having dinner there soon. I’m looking forward to meeting this cutie who has Knox wrapped around her little finger.

  “She’s perfect,” he grins. “Hey, since you grew up here, I wanted to ask you if you knew of any ballet classes in the area that you would recommend? It’s all she talks about, and I want to get her into some dance lessons.”

  “I do actually. One of my friends has a younger sister who teaches ballet in Crystal Isle. I’ll have Knox give you her number. She’s really good and great with kids. Scarlett will love her.”

  “That would be great. I will feel better knowing that you know her. I’m very protective of her,” he smiles and takes a sip of his drink before turning toward Hunter to join in on a conversation the rest of them are having.

  I remember the day I heard about his wife’s tragic accident on the news. Everyone in town was heartbroken, especially knowing that a little girl had lost her mother.

  From what I’ve heard, he hasn’t dated since. He’s focused on two things and two things only. His daughter and hockey. Everything else is just noise and something he doesn’t have time for.

  “I see your family has found our table,” Knox says, putting his arm around my waist. “Let’s grab some drinks and join them. Dinner should be starting soon.”

  I nod as he takes my hand, leading us to the bar. We get stopped numerous times as Knox briefly makes small talk and introduces me to people as we go. We finally get our drinks and appear at the table just as dinner is being served.

  “God, I forgot how exhausting talking is,” he mutters, pulling at his bowtie like it’s suddenly too hot in here.

  “You’re doing good,” I reassure him.

  He puts his hand on my thigh like last time, and his palm warms my skin. “I’m doing better now.” His lips lift at the corner as he caresses my bare leg through the slit of my dress. “I knew I chose this dress for a reason,” he says under his breath as he takes a sip of his bourbon.

  “Wait until you see what I’m wearing underneath,” I innocently say, taking a drink of my white wine. “You chose that too.”

  “Tell me it’s the red one,” he swallows slowly.

  “Guess you’ll have to find out later,” I smile, taking a bite of my salad.

  Leaning closer to my ear, I feel his breath tickle my skin. “You know I’m not patient, sunshine.”

  His hand skims up my dress, and I feel his finger hook the side of my thong before he tugs it down to the slit, showing the barest of red before he snaps it back in place. I jolt in my chair and hear a small chuckle next to me.

  “Red,” he says. “Good choice. Very good choice.”

  Thank God the chatter around us is loud, and it’s dimly lit from the chandeliers for no one to notice my reddened face or the fact that I’m breathing a little harder than normal.

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” I whisper.

  “You’re lucky that’s all I did because I want to do so much more,” he grins wickedly before taking a bite of steak.

  Just then, the spokesperson for the foundation turns our attention to the stage as he gives a welcome speech, disrupting my thoughts of dragging Knox away, so he can show what this ‘more’ of his entails.

  We listen through dinner as they explain the heart of The Grace Foundation and what donating means to these children.

  A few families join him on stage to share their stories about how much the foundation has changed their lives. I can’t help but get emotional when I see the children on stage who are truly being touched by Knox’s hard work and giving heart.