Farrell took a swig of wine and leaned in to listen as Luca continued his story about a shipment he’d intercepted in Miami that had held not televisions, as expected, but enough exotic parrots to outfit ten zoos.

“You know what’s really crazy?” Luca asked him.

“What?”

Luca laughed. “The parrots were worth more than the TVs.”

Farrell chuckled and shook his head. “What did you do with them?”

He listened halfheartedly as Luca detailed the complicated mission, aided by Isabel, of finding the birds suitable homes. Any other time, Farrell would have delighted in the story, but he was distracted by the ring in his pocket, Jenna’s hand in his under the table.

The tension between them had dissipated in the wake of their fiery sex the night before, but it had been replaced by a visible sadness in Jenna’s eyes.

He’d spent the day lurking around the kitchen, looking for an opportunity to get her alone without making a scene. But the women had been cooking all day, helping the girls make treats for Santa.

Then he and Nico had gone to get the booze and Nico had confessed to seeing Jenna crying in the kitchen. Angel had rushed him out of the room before he could get any details, but he’d thought Farrell would want to know.

Nico was right; he did fucking want to know, but more than that, he wanted to do something about it.

He’d stalked into the house, determined to talk to Jenna and settle things once and for all, to get down on one knee and produce the ring and tell her whatever was making her sad would be crushed in his fist if it was the last thing he did.

But they’d walked in to find the table set, the wine being poured, the girls talking excitedly about the expected visit from Santa Claus.

So he’d sat down with everyone else, had taken Jenna’s hand and tried to transmit his love for her through her skin. They’d passed more dishes than he could count, family style, down the long table, had eaten savory ham with a sweet coating and smoky chicken tamales and brussels sprouts sautéed in bacon and a salad course dotted with grapefruit and pomegranate and more food he hardly remembered eating.

They’d been through several bottles of wine, although Jenna hadn’t had much to drink, and had started the cheese course and coffee when Luca began his parrot story.

Farrell had had about enough of all of it.

He heard the voices around the table as if from far away as he scanned their faces. Nico and Angel were arguing good-naturedly about who had put more work into the brussels sprouts while Isabel leaned toward Leo and Diana, who had arrived before dinner. Christophe and Charlotte watched with delight as Lily, Stella, and Sofia made wild hats out of their napkins — accompanying them with funny faces.

Luca was still talking, although Farrell had lost the train of their conversation. Had forgotten where they were in the story about the birds.

He just wanted Jenna.

Alone. In a place where she would have to listen to him.

Where he could tell her all she meant to him.

“Let’s go.”

Everyone looked up at him in silence, and he was surprised to find himself standing, his hand outstretched toward Jenna.

“What… what are we doing?” she said, a note of fear in her voice.

“We’re getting out of here,” he said. “Now.”

It was the voice he reserved for the people who challenged him.

And for Jenna, in bed when she wanted him to use it.

She stood. “Lily…”

“Mummy and Daddy are going for a drive, love,” Farrell said, smiling at their daughter. “We’ll be back in time to put out the pies for Santa Claus.”

He took Jenna’s hand and pulled her toward the door. He wasn’t trying to go slow so she could match his pace — he wanted only to get away from the noise and the chaos, to be alone with her.

With his Jenna.

He was going to love her for the rest of his life. Whether she agreed to marry him or not was irrelevant, but he wanted an answer.

He picked up a set of keys off the console table in the foyer and stepped outside, Jenna’s hand in his.

“Farrell!” She pulled him to a stop. “What are we doing?”

He looked down at her. “We’re going to put an end to this nonsense once and for all, Jenna.”

He kept walking toward the SUV waiting on the other side of the courtyard wall.