Proposal

*Sandra*



This king knelt down in front of me felt like a fairytale. Not a normal one, no, but one I know I was meant to be in. He asked me to marry him. He wanted to be my husband. I didn't know how to speak or breathe. I was in shock, but I wasn't hesitant. It felt like minutes that he knelt there surrounded by an army of men who were headed into battle. I felt like Persephone watching as Hades weakened himself out of his love for me. I opened my mouth to speak before feeling tears streaming down my cheeks. "Sunshine?" He said softly, now probably worried about my answer. "Yes, of course, absolutely I will marry you, boss!" Cheers rang out like a battle cry, and I was suddenly in the air spinning. I was laughing and crying at the same time. "After this." He gestured to all the men around him, "is over, we will go back home for a while and celebrate. We will plan, and you will be the most beautiful bride. I will bring the whole state of Ohio here if you want me to, and we will do this thing the right way. Cakes and flowers and a princess gown, whatever you want darlin." His words surprised me. How does my big and strong King of New York know what a princess gown is? I tilted my head slightly at him and laughed. "What?" I shook my head as to say nothing and kissed him hard on the lips. He kissed me back but pulled me close to him taking control of the situation as usual. When they started to pack up to leave, I felt lost again. How could he do this without me? "I want to go." I said in his ear. He tensed up, quickly holding me tighter. "You can't go, I am sorry, but if you go my strongest men will not be focused on the battle. They will all be worried about you." I shook my head, "I held my own with Ryan. Shot him cold myself. I can handle this and any of you who think differently don't see me the way I thought you did." My feelings were hurt even though I knew he wasn't wrong. I knew if I went it would be a distraction, but they are taking my whole family with them. Everyone. Henry walked over towards me noticing my face had changed back to anger. "Sis, please stay here where it is safe. Stay here and make us a return dessert. My recipe book is in my room, pick something and make it." I shook my head at him but thought about doing as he said. I would love to take a look at his recipes. He walked over and whispered his door code in my ear. It was a name I would have to ask him about one day. Heather. He smiled at me before running towards Jay who was yelling for him.



One at a time I watched as my brother's took a group of men and loaded up in a SUV. Zues walked over to me, hugged me, kissed me on the head, and told me he was glad I was officially going to be part of the family. He grabbed his duffel and headed to the vehicle. Then it pulled forwards for the next one. Each member of the inner circle told me goodbye before getting in their own SUV. When it was time for Joseph to go, I felt like my heart was going to rip in half. I was so afraid he wouldn't come back. I saw his lips turning blue all over again, heard the doctor saying he wasn't breathing. I started to shake all over. "Sunshine, I am going to be okay." He ran his hand down the side of my cheek and whispered into my ear. "I won't die for this, I have too much to live for." It didn't help, I was still terrified. "Please, PLEASE, let me go with you." I cried out, but he shook his head no slowly. I could see he felt bad for saying no. A man I hadn't met before walked up beside me and nodded. He was young, a new recruit I assumed. Joseph grabbed both of my cheeks before kissing me with an intensity I hadn't felt since he found me when Ryan had taken me. When he releases me, I started to scream at him, begging him not to go. He apologized to me profusely but got in the vehicle anyway. The new hire put his hand on my shoulder, and I told him not to fucking touch me and ran back inside. I put a fresh comm in setting it to the inner circle server and ran straight to our room. "Can you hear me, Sunshine?" I could hear Joseph in my ear. I didn't respond. Seconds later I heard Henry, "Don't forget dessert Sis." I was so angry with them but mostly I think I was just scared. I couldn't lose any of them. I didn't want to. People I love die, they leave me, and I could feel something bad was going to happen again. He wouldn't let me go. I know why, I know they are right, but I couldn't just sit there and wait. I pulled on some tennis shoes and a black hoodie. I slid my phone into my hoodie pocket. I went to the bar and took two quick shots of liquid courage. I knew I was thinking irrationally but I didn't care. I walked out to the hall and smiled sweetly at the guard they left in charge of me. "What's your name?" I smiled at him. "405" he gave me a number like I knew he would. "Okay 405, I am heading to the office to look for a recipe, then I will be taking a long-needed shower and nap to calm down!" He nodded and watched me as I walked towards the office. I went in and found the safe, I knew there was a pistol inside, and I wanted it. I put in the code and grabbed the gun. It felt heavy and cold in my hand. I stared at it for a few moments before shoving it down the back of my pants. I also grabbed the keys to the new car the bought to be unseen before. I walked out and smiled again at the oblivious guard.



When I got back to the room I went into the bathroom and opened the window. I stared at the oak tree, it resembled the tree of life, and gave me an escape from the building. I turned off my comm. I slid through the window and climbed branch by branch to the bottom. I moved quietly and crawled through the grass to the back of the little car. I snuck around the side, unlocking the door with the key and not the key fob. I crawled into the front seat and quickly started the vehicle. When I got to the gate a man asked me where I was going. I couldn't think. My head was spinning. "Where are you headed miss? I wasn't informed of you leaving the premises, and this is a dangerous time." I took a deep breath and smiled towards the camera. " I need some vanilla bean and cane sugar for my dessert. I would like to pick it out for myself. I will not be gone long." The man hesitated but opened the gate. He stood with his hand out and walked up to the window. "I would feel better if two guards went along with you." He said waving over two men standing by the shack. When he was distracted, I sped past him and pulled out of the driveway. I heard yelling behind me, but I kept going. I knew they would maybe follow me, so I took so many turns I had gotten myself lost. I pulled into the back lot of a gas station and parked, turning off the headlights. My phone was buzzing in my pocket, and I didn't answer. It would stop and then start buzzing again. I pulled it out and looked at it. I had missed calls from the guard shack, Joseph, Henry, and Jackson. I was shocked Jay and Zeus hadn't yet called. It started to buzz again with Henry's name on the screen. I checked the voicemail. Alot of begging and pleading for me to go back to the house, and to answer the call. I sent an "I'm safe" text and put my phone back in my pocket. I put my comm in and turned it back on but stayed silent. There was a lot of yelling about me leaving the house. Joseph was yelling into his phone, at guards, threatening to kill them all. "Calm down." I said weakly. "Sunshine, please go home." I shook my head no, even though they couldn't see me. "I just rode to the store; I will go back. I couldn't sit there and wait." No one spoke. "I am safe." I said out loud this time. I heard a loud hard sigh. "Straight back Sunshine!" I gave him a quiet agreement and pulled my phone's map up. He said to meet him in the biggest battle spot in New York. He has to be talking about when they defended the port city with George Washington's army. They are in the southern end of Manhattan.