Page 37 of A Spark in the Ash

I look down at it again and cover my mouth with my right hand as I shake my head. He's right, there is no other ring in this entire universe that could capture everything between me and Jaxon so perfectly.

I look back up at him and I cup my hand behind his neck as I roll forward onto the balls of my feet and kiss him.

This isn't fake. What is between us is not fake. The world and his family might have a different title for it than we do, but this ring is the physical expression of everything that exists between us.

Jaxon is the missing piece to my soul.

"I love you, Serena," Jaxon whispers.

And my soul soars with the words. I didn't think I could feel anything more in this moment. And then he goes and takes it to a whole different dimension.

Two tears break their way free from my lashes. But a smile pulls on my face. I bring both of my hands to either side of his neck. "I love you, Jaxon."

He closes the distance between us, and his lips find mine.

It's perfect. This moment is perfect. And I'm never going to forget it for the rest of my immortal life.

"I don't have a ring for you," I say suddenly as I pull away from his lips, realizing that I don't. "We… Is there another jewelry store in this casino?"

Jaxon smiles. "I have another idea."

"Are you sure about this?"I ask again for the fifteenth time.

Jaxon settles back into the chair, holding his left arm up on the prop at his side. "Are you trying to back out of this?" he asks.

"Yes!" I say, still slightly shocked and horrified. "You simply put a ring on my finger, and now you're going to permanently mark your body? Over something that is just for show for your family?"

Jaxon reaches over and takes my left hand. "Serena, this isn't just for show. You're it for me."

So I swallow once, and I nod.

This is so crazy. Everything is moving along at rocket speed. I can hardly keep up. But this man right here is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

The big burly man in all black rolls over to Jaxon on his chair and picks up the buzzing piece of equipment.

He puts it to Jaxon's ring finger and begins.

Thirty minutes later, Jaxon walks out of there with a ring of black smoke tattooed around his wedding ring finger.

And it's just one more way that the two of us are fused together for forever.

It's one thousand percent perfect.

Hand in hand, I walk with my soulmate down the hall, to the elevators.

Innocuously, I see Azrael leaning against a wall. At the elevators, I see Sybil looking through her phone, and she glances up just once when Jaxon presses the button to call the elevator.

Twenty seconds later, it opens up, and we step into the empty lift.

I look down at Jaxon’s tattooed finger again. I grab his wrist and lift his hand, resting it on my chest, so he can feel my heart beating.

The look in his eyes deepens as we rise up through the casino. He brings his other hand up, lacing his fingers back into my hair. He steps forward, forcing me a step back, until my back hits the glass wall.

His lips take possession of mine with absolute claiming. His teeth bite my lower lip as they part.

My hands wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to me. Every bit of space between our bodies disappears, and I let out a moan as his body presses into mine, pushing me harder against the glass.

And I think about it then. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if thiswasreal. If Jaxon really had asked me a four-word question before he slid this ring onto my finger.

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