Alpha Billionaire Series

MARK

I heard Peyton's voice before I realized he and Karen were in Brooke's room. I stopped and thought about what I was going t do next. I could go in there and cause a scene— something Brooke did not need to deal with— or I could wait them out. Peyton was going to have to deal with me at some point in time. I wasn't sure that doing so in front of Brooke while she was still recovering and emotionally on edge was the best idea.

I closed my eyes and ran my hand over my face. I winced as I brushed the bruise around my eye. If things between Peyton and I came to blows again, I wasn't going to do that around my baby girls.

With a heavy breath, I turned to walk away. I'd come back later.

“Mark? What are you doing out there? Come in here!” Karen ordered me into the room.

I guess I didn't have a choice in what happened now.

Peyton, who had been holding one of the girls, quickly handed the baby to Brooke, and stood up. He bristled and flexed. Positioning himself between me and my girls, all of them.

“Would you relax, Peyton," Karen chastised him. “Mark isn't going to try anything, and you certainly are not going to do anything here”

He stared at me, narrowing his eyes. Either he was assessing me for a threat, or he was putting on his own threat display. “Peyton, did you hear me? You are not going to do anything” Karen's voice got very sharp and commanding.

He seemed to take a breath as he looked at her. His posture relaxed only slightly. “Yes, I heard you."

With a grunt he stepped over to the ledge in front of the window, getting as far away from me as possible. He also made an opening so that I could stand near Brooke.

“How are you doing?” I asked.

“Well, I could have done without all of this.” Her eyes looked tired as she looked up at me.

Iran a hand over her hair. “They needed to know. I needed to take responsibility.”

She shook her head. She was not happy. I went to take responsibility for my actions, for our results and she was the one under scrutiny, feeling judged.

“Have you been able to rest?”

She shot me a glare.

“I guess that means, no? May I7” I reached down and picked up one of my daughters. She was peacefully sleeping, her moutI making little sucking motions.

“They are beautiful girls,” Karen said quietly.

“Of course, they are. They look like Brooke.” I couldn't take my eyes off the baby in my arms.

“Look, Peyton," I started.

“It's probably best if you don't talk to me.”

“Shut up Peyton, you are going to listen to him for the sake of your daughter and your grandchildren, and me.”

He shifted his gaze to Karen. After a stare down between the two of them, he finally closed his eyes and nodded.

“You don't have to answer me. You don't even have to listen, but I'm going to tell you this anyway. When I went over to your house to give you the news, I did that knowingly that you were probably going to react the way you did. But you need to know I love Brooke” I smiled at her and she gave me the softest smile in return. My chest flooded with emotion, it was almost painful how I felt looking at her with our daughter, and the other twin in my arms. It was a powerful feeling.

“And if she says yes, I'm going to marry her. Now I would like to do that with your blessing. But we don't need your blessing” Karen gasped and put her hand to her chest. Her dramatics were the perfect contrast to Peyton's sullen glower.

“He gives his blessing,’ she said enthusiastically.

“Now, Karen,” Peyton started.

“You've been acting like a hurt toddler ever since he came into our house and told you, man to man, face to face, what happened. I was upset too but look at the babies, Peyton. They are so perfect. And she loves him. What more could you want? Brooke has always been our wild child, none of this should have been much of a surprise.”

“Really,” Brooke asked with a groggy voice. “Wild child?”

“You've always done things your own way, honey. You know that. I certainly tried to get you to calm down and be more grounded. The more I tried, the more wilful you got. It doesn’t mean we love you any less. It means we have to be more flexible in our expectations. Usually, it's the firstborn who is all serious and responsible. At least that's what people told me for years every time they learned that Rhys was the younger brother”

Brooke reached out and grabbed a handful of fabric from my shirt. I stepped in closer. I couldn't hold her hand, my arms were full of baby.

“You and Mark are going to have to work this out for the sake of your friendship, and our family." She turned her attention tc Brooke. “You are going to say yes, right?”

“Yes, to what?”

“Oh, for heaven's sake. Mark, give me that baby. Please tell me you didn’t come in here saying these things and are not prepared.”

I handed over the baby. “Have you been talking to my brother?” I chuckled.

Ishoved my hand into my pocket and pulled out a rather dull-looking gray band. I lowered onto one knee.

“If you are doing what I think you are. I should tell you I can't see you over the railing of the hospital bed.” Brooke said in emphasized even words. She sounded like she was trying not to have an emotional reaction. “Just sit on the bed, Mark." “Please note, I did get down on one knee." I sat on the edge of the bed and gently took the hand that wasn't supporting our daughter. I slid the band over her ring finger. “I know, wrong hand. You can shift it later. It's one of those silicon bands so you don't have to worry about swelling”

Brooke blinked expectantly at me. “Are you Mr. Considerate?”

“That's Doctor Considerate to you. Not how I expected any of this to happen. But isn't that how things go? Brooke, marry me, Let's make our family official

“Oh, that's so romantic,” her tone was thick with sarcasm.

“Sorry,” I shrugged. “I hadn't really planned on the audience. It's a bit intimidating. Besides, I think your dad is going to deck me again if you say no."

“Peyton is not going to hit you again’ Karen interjected.

“Mom, this is kind of my moment," Brooke said exasperated.

“Not much of anyone's moment if you ask me,” Peyton grumbled.

Brooke and I both glared at Peyton. His commentary was not helpful.

“You try to be suave while your future father-in-law is breathing down your neck,” I complained.

“Well, are you going to say yes or not?” Karen asked.

Ileaned in close and put my lips next to her ear. “Brooke,” I whispered just for her. “I will make this up to you. I swear. We ca have a proper engagement. I'll buy a diamond ring and drop it in your champagne glass while I get on my knee in front of a restaurant full of strangers if that's what you want."

She turned her face and wrapped her free hand around my head and kissed me.

I was briefly aware of Karen clapping and Peyton grumbling before I let all of that fade away and focused on the lips under mine.

“Yes, Mark, I'll marry you. I don't need you to go down on your knee in some fancy restaurant, or in front of the Eiffel Tower. That's so cliché. This will make for a much better story, don't you think?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Karen, who was crying and squeezing Peyton's hand while he tried to continue to glare at me. “Getting engaged under threat is always a better story.”

“This is like a wonderful early Christmas present, first the twins, and now Brooke is engaged. Our baby girl is all grown up.’ “Don’t worry Mom, you now have two little girls to spoil,” Brooke said.

I started to laugh.

“What?”

“I was just thinking," I turned my attention to Karen. “Do I call you Mom, or can I still call you Karen?"

“Don’t you dare She swatted at my arm as a smile spread across her face.

For a moment everyone, including Peyton, relaxed.Original content from NôvelDrama.Org.

“I guess when we get home, I should get your room all set up for the babies. Or will you be moving in with Mark?”

“I'm staying here,” Brooke said.

Ifelt her words like a punch in the gut.

“I'm in the middle of a degree program, and I want to finish it"

“You can finish it later,” Peyton said.

“Aren't you the one who was always grumbling and rolling your eyes that I could never commit or finish anything?” she asket her father. “Well, I want to finish. I have it all worked out that next semester I'm doing the classroom-based courses. I can de that online, so I can stay with the babies. The school has childcare, and I've already applied for them to get in when they are older. I want to marry you, Mark. But want to, I need to finish. No one has once asked me about what it is that I want. It's all been assumed that I just ran away because of the babies.’

“Okay,” I said. “We'll figure it out. If you want to finish school, I'll support that. I can be here on the weekends if I'm not on call. We can make it work."

“Really? You'd do that for me?”

“Of course, I'd do that for you. I love you.”