Impossible Odds: Rescue Team Nine

Chapter 21

Cloey

What the hell just happened in there?

"Wait a minute. I need to speak to you."

Dice and Gunner are almost to Dice's room when I stop them. I'm still reeling from the events of the night. Gunner's appearance doesn't surprise me as much as Dice's performance and the ring I'm now sporting on my ring finger. Gunner gives him a 'good luck' look before disappearing inside his buddy's room and closing the door.

"What was that?"

He gives me an innocent look. "What was what?"

I hold up my hand. "What do you think?"

The ring flashes between us. "Oh, that."

Tilting my head to the side, I press my lips together and wait. Clearing his throat, he looks behind him like he's trying to find a safety rope. When he doesn't find one, he turns back to face me.

"It's not how I planned to ask you."

My heart jumps. Wait. What? I can feel it pumping harder in my chest in an attempt to understand the magnitude of what he's just said. It's hard not to be emotional. He's admitting he planned to ask me to marry him. The man who's against commitment and married life wants to settle down. He's Dice, the womanizer, the playboy that every woman wants, the man most women have dreams about, and he wants me. There has to be a glitch somewhere. Now I'm not saying I'm not one hell of a woman. I feel every woman needs to know their worth, but he's already walked away from me one time, so my confidence level isn't high. Why shouldn't I make him work for it? Why? Because I have a little girl I know needs her daddy ... she deserves that ... he deserves that .... I deserve it.

"You planned to ask me to marry you?" Now it's my turn to look around. If I wasn't so sure of our surroundings and if the draft from the hallway wasn't causing the goose bumps on my bare flesh, I might just wonder if I was dreaming. Why I chose to wear such a skimpy dress during the winter is beyond me.

"This is a joke, right? There's a camera around here, isn't there?"

He smiles which makes my insides turn to mush. Damn, why does he have to do that?

"What? You can't believe a man like me would want to marry a girl like you?"

"Oh no, that I believe. I was just thinking it takes a brave man like you to ask to marry a girl like me knowing her answer might very well be no."

He takes a step forward and I take one back. "You can't always win, you know."

"I guess I was hoping my luck hadn't run out yet." He sighs. "I know this may sound strange for a man like myself, but I love you, Cloey. You drive me crazy. You irritate the hell out of me sometimes, and you're the only person I know to get on my nerves but still make me want you and love the hell out of you. You make me feel things."

He's standing directly in front of me now. My heart skips several beats. He loves me. I want to jump for joy and yell it for the world to hear, but I'm not stupid. There are several obstacles in our way right now, and we need to face those first. Putting my finger to his lips, I hush him before he can continue.

"Don't do this just because we have a daughter. That wouldn't be healthy for her ..."

"Is that what you think?" Dice's voice takes a dangerous turn. "I bought this ring long before I knew about Felicity. Back when we got Red and Aimee out of that fucking compound. I want you. I want my family. I didn't know how much until then."

If I thought it would be impossible to be shocked again tonight, his statement has proved that wrong. Unable to speak, I allow the silence to envelop us. It takes several minutes before I'm able to look at him again.

"Tell you what," I whisper. "I'll play along for now with this charade ..."

"It's not a charade," Dice interrupts.

"When this is all over," I continue. "I'll let you know whether your playing days are over."

He leans down but I stop him. "Nope, no touching me tonight."

I shake my head when he makes a move to grab me. I'm enjoying this. He places his hands behind his back and studies me. Running my hand down his cheek, I lean over and kiss his lips gently. Using my other hand, I run my fingers down his chest and gather a fistful of his shirt while I proceed to trail kisses up and down his neck and along his collar.

"Cloey ..." Dice groans.

Stepping away from him, I chuckle. "I didn't say the same rules applied to me."

A very masculine growl escapes his lips as he dives for me but I'm quicker. I rush into my room, close the door, and turn the lock.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," I chirp from the other side.

"So wrong, Cloey. So wrong."

Biting my lip, I study the ring. It's a simple diamond cut in a star like pattern. Tears fill my eyes. He remembers the nights we spent stargazing together the days after Brad died. The sky has always fascinated me, and I often spend a lot of time outdoors. We made those strolls into a game, which more times than not ended up in a round of mad, passionate sex. He really had planned to ask for my hand. No other design would have worked for any of his other conquests.

"Was that a yes?" Dice asks from the other side of the wall. I almost forgot he's standing there. I smile but don't answer. He sighs before making his way next door to his room. The sound of a door opening and closing reverberates off the wall. Staring out the window on the other side of my room, I allow my mind to wrap around the events of the past couple of years. I want to have regrets for my brother's evil ways, for the pain his mistakes are now putting us through, but at the same time the circumstances surrounding his life and death has brought me back the man who stole my heart. It's ironic to know that, without realizing it, Brad brought some good to the world by way of Ayasha and Bear, and now hopefully to me and Dice. I bet he would roll over in his grave knowing that. His hate put the ball in motion. What's love without hate, and hate without love? Because hate can often be spun from love and love can often be spun from hate. Not that the world wouldn't be a better place without hate, but if it has to exist why not make something beautiful out of it? I'm sick of hate. It's time to love.