Page 73 of Dagger

He just smirked. “You’ll see.”

The bike rumbled beneath us, familiar and alive. I wrapped my arms around him, pressing close as he pulled us out of the compound and onto the road. The wind whipped around us as we rode, that perfect mixture of speed and freedom vibrating through every inch of me.

The open road stretched in front of us, and I held on tighter, burying my face against the man I loved, breathing him in and letting the moment settle into my bones.

Eventually, as we reached the city limits of Steel City he slowed as we neared the strip mall where his tattoo parlor was located. Though instead of parking in front of his shop like usual, he parked further down. Next to a little jeweler’s shop with a simple gold sign and vintage lettering. He killed the engine and climbed off the bike.

I blinked at the jewelry store, confused.

“Come here,” he said, tugging me gently off the bike.

I swung my leg over and stood, brushing hair from my face.

“Dagger, what are we—”

But he was already dropping to one knee.

I froze.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and silver. A circle of smooth metal, slightly blackened.

He held it up between two fingers. “It’s all I could find at short notice. It’s an ear gauge I swiped from the tattoo parlor. It might not be traditional,” he said, eyes locked on mine, voicethick, but steady. “But there’s nothing traditional about us, is there?”

My throat tightened.

“I know this is early,” he continued, words tumbling out fast now, like he’d been holding them in for days. “I know most people would say we’re rushing, that it’s too soon or too complicated. But if the past few weeks have taught me anything, it’s that I can’t take a damn thing for granted. Not time. Not second chances. Not you.”

He swallowed hard. “I want this. You. Me. Dani. The baby. All of it. I want it for the rest of my damn life. I want to wake up beside you every morning for the rest of my goddamn life.”

My hand covered my mouth, eyes already swimming.

He held the metal ring up a little higher.

“This is temporary,” he added quickly. “A stand-in. Because we’re going in there—” he nodded towards the jeweler’s “—and you’re gonna pick whatever ring you want.”

I stared at him, heart pounding, lips trembling. “You’re serious?”

“I’ve never been more fucking serious in my life,” he said. “Marry me, Sinclair Bronson. Be my partner. My family. Mother to my little girl.”

I laughed through my tears, dropping to my knees in front of him. “Yes,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He kissed me there on the sidewalk—hard and deep and unapologetic.

When he pulled back, he slipped the makeshift ring onto my finger.

I held it to my chest. “This means more than diamonds ever could.”

“Good,” he said, standing and pulling me up with him. “Because you’re stuck with me now, babe.”

He pulled back just enough to kiss me, slow and sure, then took my hand and helped me to my feet. We walked, fingers entwined, into the jewelry store together.

And as the shop bell jingled and we stepped across the threshold into forever, I realized this was everything I never dared to dream of.

And somehow, it was mine.

Epilogue

Dagger

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