Page 149 of Chain's Inferno

Her fingers tightened around mine.

“You caught me from the first look,” I said. “Carryin’ more strength than anyone I’ve ever known, even when you didn’t see it yet. You walked through fire and came out standin’, and somehow you still chose me.”

My throat tightened, but I pushed through.

“I failed you,” I said plain. “I let my fear get louder than my trust, and I’ll carry that with me for the rest of my days. But hear me on this, Lark. I will never stop choosin’ you. Not when it’s easy. Not when it hurts. Not when the past tries to claw its way back in.”

Her eyes shone, but she didn’t look away. Not once.

“You didn’t survive all that just to be caged again,” I said. “You didn’t come through hell to settle for less than the whole damn sky. I don’t wanna stand over you as some kind of savior. I wanna stand beside you. Equal. Every step.”

I dropped to one knee.

The world went dead quiet.

I pulled the ring from my pocket, my hand finally steady now that the truth was out in the open. The ring was simple. Strong. Chosen with intention. Just like her.

“Lark,” I said, my voice thick but sure. “Will you marry me? Will you let me spend the rest of my life earnin’ the right to love you the way you deserve?”

For a heartbeat, she just stared at me like I’d knocked the ground out from under her.

Then she laughed. Soft and breathless and beautiful, like relief finally found its way out.

“Yes,” she said, tears spillin’ free now. “Yes, Chain. I love you.”

I was on my feet in a second, pullin’ her into my arms, her hands fisted in my shirt like she was anchorin’ herself to somethin’ solid. Cheers exploded around us, loud and wild, but I barely heard a damn thing.

All I felt was her heart against mine.

My ma wiped at her eyes without even tryin’ to hide it. Daddy clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to sting. Briar was cryin’ outright, mutterin’ somethin’ about finally under her breath. The rest of the clubhouse set about celebrating.

I slid the ring onto Lark’s finger, my thumb brushin’ over her knuckles before I lifted them to my lips.

The porch boards creaked beneath us. The clubhouse was alive behind us. The night wrapped around us warm and close.

I didn’t find peace in a place or a club or a promise—I found it in her, and I stayed.

The End