Page 158 of Shades of Loyalty
Over… This? Oh my god. I can’t cry.
I shouldn’t. But the hot, burning sensation behind my eyes is telling me otherwise.
Shit, shit, shit—
“I know, we haven’t known each other for long. It’s been, what, five months? But I’m worried that if I don’t make you my wife now, life will ruin my chance. You know how easily everything can change. And I don’t want to miss my chance to make you mine. So, please… Will you be my wife?”
I shake. Not from fear like earlier today. But from how unreal it feels.
“I promise I will always protect you and be a good husband to you if you say yes. And I promise you this as well; I will always be a good father for Mary. I asked her if she’d want me as her dad, and she agreed. She knows about this, pretty. You don’t have to worry about her, she’s fine with us being a family. With me being her dad.”
The last sentence makes me sob. Not because I feel sad, but because he makes this moment so unbelievable beautiful, memorable.
All I know in this moment—
I love him. I will always love him.
And I will never regret saying,
“Yes.”
Instead from him getting up, I drop down onto my knees, jumping straight into his arms before he even has the chance to put the ring onto my actual finger.
But it’s not important, not right now. Materialistic things mean nothing compared to the feelings we have for each other.
To the things we’ve been through.
He falls back onto his back just as I land on top of him, both of us laughing when we hit the sand.
“Fuck… I love you so much, my pretty girl.”
I smile through my tears as I look at the gorgeous man below me. “I love you so much more, my handsome man.”
With a gentle touch, he slowly caresses my cheek, fisting my hair with his other hand before his lips wrap around mine, trapping me in a world in which it’s just us.
Our kiss lasts longer than both of us intend, always breaking off for a few seconds to get some air in our lungs, then being trapped alone in our world again.
I don’t know how long we lay there, kissing and holding each other, but I don’t care. All I know is the second we come home; we’re going to be a family.
Fuck the wedding. Fuck the vows. Fuck the wedding papers.
From today on, Daniel, Mary and I—we’re a real family. Nothing, and no one can change that.
He breathes my scent in, his forehead pressing against mine, completely unfazed by the tears slipping down my cheeks.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while, I just… Everything. Everything was against us, and I—”
“I know, I know… Daniel?”
“Yes, my wifey?”
A subtle blush wraps around my cheek as I take in his words. How can a man like him be so violent, yet so gentle with his voice?
“Can we stay here just a little longer?”
“We can stay here all night if that’s what you want, pretty.”
I smile as I lean into his arms once more, the scent of his cologne lingering in my nose. He always smells so good.
