18

***Abrams POV:***

Since John asked for Bastet's hand in marriage, I have to notify her of the terms of her getting married. I won't tell her he asked. I will just notify her of the terms, and she can choose who she wants to marry. Honestly, I would prefer McKee, my daughter thinks I am clueless I know at one point they were more than best friends. I can't imagine her giving her virginity to any other man.

If he would have asked me, I would have given him my blessing and even given him her mother's ring to propose. Unfortunately, her marriage affects the whole association. I always wanted her to be happy, live, love, and prosper. Do I think John is the one for her if their engagement was to last five years, he would be ready for her? I walk to her room in the association Bastet never stayed home she is always here.

"Baby girl, do you have a minute", I say before I enter her room.
"Yeah Dad, come in", she yells.
"How you are doing baby", I asked walking into her room.
"I am doing great. Did you read my report?", she asked. She does this when she is unsure of herself.
"Yes, I and the council are pleased you did a great job. But that is not what I came here to talk to you about", I said.
"Okay, dad so what do you want to talk to me about?", she asked looking at me as a daughter does her father when she thinks she is in trouble.
"While you were away on the mission, I had a meeting with the council. They are okay with you marrying whom you chose", I say knowing her calm is the calm before the storm.
"That's great Dad, but why do I feel like there is a but coming", she says as she put her hands on her hips. The way her mother did when she would wait for me to explain something to her.
"You will have to sign a Matrimonial Regime", I say, and her eyes go wide.
"WHAT! HOW CAN THEY ASK ME TO DO THAT? IT IS BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN ?", I am livid. I have a mind cut all of their balls off. For making my baby girl this angry.
"We know your sex is one of the reasons", I say trying to calm her down.
"Baby girl there is another choice it is either that or marry whom they want, or give up your right to command", I said trying to reason with her.
"Then why would they allow me to marry anyone I choose if they were still going to require me to sign a Matrimonial Regime?", she asked getting pissed off.
"Because they feel if you choose a husband for yourself, you wouldn't mind signing the Matrimonial Regime", I say hoping she would understand.
"Why the hell would they think that?", she asked.
"Because they expect you to pick someone that is good for the association and yourself", I said.
"Of course, I will pick someone that is good for the association and myself", she said with a smile.
"Should I tell them you agree to the terms", I asked knowing the answer.
"Yup, tell them the day of your retirement party I will announce whom I will marry", she says with a bright smile.
"So, my retirement is based on if the man gets the nerve to ask you? I might have another year of commanding ahead", I say with a laugh.

"Care to tell me who that man will be?", I asked with a smirk.
"I am sure you will find out because he has to ask you first. If he hasn't already", she said with a laugh.
"I love you my daughter", I say as I hug her.
"I love you too dad", I said hugging him back.

***John POV:***

My uncle got me up at the ass crack of dawn to go ring shopping. I seriously think this can wait but he seems to beg the difference. I don't even know Bastet's ring size or what kind of ring she will like. My uncle then informed me that ring sizes are kept on file, and he got her ring size. We walk into a jewelry store this place looks like an old Victorian jewelry shop.

"Hello, James my nephew here is looking for an engagement ring", my uncle says.
"Well, he finally found a suitable lady", James said,
"Yup, and we need to get her a suitable ring", my uncle says with pride.
"So, young man what were you thinking of getting?", James asked.
"I was thinking about three rings. One gold engagement with a gold band, and one silver band"
"Why three rings", my uncle asked.
"The two gold ones she can were around always. The silver she can wear during missions", I replied.
"What karat of gold, and what carat of a diamond?", he asked I have no idea.
"I didn't think about that", I say scratching the back of my neck.
"How about for the fourteen-karat gold, and for the diamond size how about we choose the year you and she been together", he asked.
"Five years we made it official when she turned twenty", I said.
"Okay five carats is it", James said.
"Damn nephew that's going to cost a lot", my uncle said laughing.

I decided on a fourteen-karat white gold ring engagement ring with a five-carat cushion-cut yellow diamond. Since yellow is her favorite color, I thought why not. The silver band will be an infinity band with a total weight of one-carat diamonds. The total cost was a little over thirty-five thousand dollars. The whole time James was calculating the cost my uncle was laughing. When I handed James my black card, I felt relieved that I will finally have the woman of my dreams and the position too. Now all she has to do is say yes.

"What's so funny uncle?", I asked.
"You spend a lot of money in there. Tell me John if she wasn't Abrams's daughter would you have spent that kind of money?", he asked.
"I would have yes. I spend this kind of money because she is Bastet and she deserves this and more", I say as I hand him the receipt.
"Well, let us hope she says yes", uncle said.
"What wouldn't she uncle?", I asked confused.
"I hate to be the one to tell you this now that you spent a shit load of money on her. But the word is something went down between her and McKee during the mission", my uncle said in a serious tone.
"Nothing went down between them", I said in a dead tone.
"Are you willing to bet your life on that nephew?”, he asked.
"No, but I am willing to bet my life that I will be the man she marries", I say as I walk to the car.

The drive back home was quiet. My uncle had a point I know something went on between Bastet and McKee. But I don't have the courage to ask. I know she will tell the truth and if she does, I might not end up marrying her. If the men in the association didn't respect me now, they damn sure won't respect me if it is confirmed Bastet fucked McKee while we were on a mission.

I love her I do, hell I am in love with her but lack of respect in our line of work can cause a person their life. Even though I suspected something was going on during the mission there was nothing to confirm it. If they did have sex which I am sure they did. Since Bastet, and I have had no sex since we go back nor had we had any alone time together I wouldn’t be able to find out for sure. I would love to stick it to McKee and marry her any way we can always work on our marriage. I put the rings in my room safe and get ready for bed. I have to figure out when is the best time to propose to her.