Page 166 of Mission Shift

“But what gets me—what made me fall for you—is your fire. You fight with everything you have, holding your own whether it’s a battle of wits or hand-to-hand combat. You protect people, those who can’t fight for themselves—whether it’s a child caughtin the crossfire of an unjust war or a man who has lost his way like those stray dogs you’re always drawn to. You risked your life for others and never lost your soul.”

His thumb brushed against my knuckles.

“You didn’t just survive hell—you let it give you a purpose. You made it mean something. Daria, you’remy hero.”

My eyes burned, but I didn’t blink.

“I’ll have you and hold you until death do us part because I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You didn’t get to choose your past or your name. But I want you to choose if you give me your heart.”

The ring hovered at the tip of my finger.

“Daria…will you marry me?”

My throat closed. All I could do was nod as tears welled in my eyes.

“Yes,” I whispered, barely able to form the word.

Braxton slid the ring onto my finger. The fit was flawless, a perfect match—as though it had always been mine.

I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him with all my heart.

And for one brilliant, unexpected moment—I believed in forever.

Braxton pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against mine. He brushed his thumb along my cheek as he whispered, “I love you.”

The words warmed every part of me. I didn’t say anything at first; I just held onto the weight of them. Then he slid back into the chair beside me, lacing our fingers together.

Amelia smiled warmly. “It’s the perfect ring,” she said, then turned toward me. “Now, let’s find the band that will be the ideal pairing.”

I was still caught somewhere between floating and crying.

She gestured toward a sleek velvet tray sitting behind her, then selected a delicate platinum band wrapped in small diamond baguettes, designed to nestle perfectly against the marquise-cut diamond on my finger. I looked down and smiled. “It’s lovely.”

Then it hit me, and I turned to Braxton. “You need a band too.”

Amelia perked up, her gaze dropping to study his hand. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”

Braxton offered his hand, and she examined it with the kind of precision that made her seem more surgeon than jeweler. “I have a few ideas,” she said after a moment, then stepped away to place a request on the small intercom.

I couldn’t stop staring at my ring. I turned my hand slowly, watching the light scatter through the stone. How had this man—quiet, solid, unshakable—walked into my life and made me want things I’d never thought I could have?

No one had ever seen me like he did. He viewed me not as a weapon, a pawn, or a means to an end. To him I was just…Daria. Or maybe Dasha, I guess. My name didn’t matter at that moment. He knew who I was, knew the parts of me I’d buried so deeply that no one ever saw.

The man returned with another tray, this one lined with heavier, broader rings. No stones, just clean, bold bands crafted from a variety of metals.

Braxton glanced at them, then looked at me. “You pick. I trust you’ll know the right one.”

My fingers hovered over the selection before I landed on one—brushed platinum, thick enough to match his hand but with a soft curve that mirrored mine. Timeless. Solid. Strong.

I held out my hand.

Braxton placed his in mine.

I slid the ring onto his finger slowly, watching the way it settled into place. Then I tugged him forward and brought his ear close to my lips.

“We’re tied now,” I whispered, “not just by a vow but by blood, by every fight we’ve had to survive to get here. This isn’t just love, Braxton. This is forever.”

Then, giving me a smile that reached all the way through me, he leaned close. “Of course, my beautiful wife. In all things, I’m yours. Completely.”

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