Page 145 of Their Property
“Agreed,” T-Bone said. “Plus, I can’t wait any longer. I’m almost jumping out of my fucking skin.”
“Really?” I scoffed. “I couldn’t tell.”
“Fuck off, D. I’ve never done this before.”
“Neither have I, but you don’t see me sweating like a whore in church.”
Grudge smacked us both to get our attention.“Focus. When she’s done with her speech, we get out there.”
Gerard had stepped away from the podium, and Kyrie walked up to take his place. Her words shook initially, clearly in shock and surprise from what he’d revealed. After a moment, her voice grew stronger and then impassioned. Everyone in attendance was raptly focused on her, like they knew right away that Gerard had made the right choice. This woman was meant to lead them and had the heart, brains, and grit to do the job.
And she was ours. Now and forever.
“Everyone needs allies and loved ones in times of struggle,” Kyrie said. “Whether as your governor, lieutenant governor, or just a listening ear, I will be there for you. When I’m facing those struggles myself, I have the three most amazing men to lean on.” She turned to look at us, a massive smile on her beautiful face. “Four now,” she added to include Isaac, who looked up at me excitedly.
“Yup, she’s talking about you, buddy.” I patted his shoulder and looked up just in time to see Grudge signaling to all of us. “What? Now?”
He nodded and began striding across the stage with T-Bone on his heels. I hurried after them with Isaac in tow, my stomach clenching and flipping at the same time. Okay,nowI was nervous.
Kyrie was still smiling, her expression questioning as we walked out. When we all dropped to one knee, it became abundantly clear.
The crowd went absolutely berserk, which was the best outcome we could have hoped for. It was a huge risk, the three of us asking her so publicly like this. But this day was a brand new start for so many people, and we wanted others like us to feel safe to be themselves. And we knew Kyrie would want the same.
She leaned against the podium, tears on the brink of falling, but her grin was as radiant as ever. The audience was cheering too loud for us to hear her, but her lips moved as if to say, “Are you fucking serious?”
“Dead serious, little lady,” T-Bone said as the noise ebbed away. “We realize now that we have to share you with the whole territory, but luckily for you, we’re good at sharing.”
Kyrie laughed, releasing an unladylike snort that was so perfectly her.
“I think we all knew years ago, when we first met, that something was meant to happen between us,” I said. “Call it the will of the gods, fate, whatever it may be. You were always meant to be ours, and we were always meant to be yours. I’ve never been more certain of anything else.”
Grudge signed to her,“We were imperfect, incomplete, until we had you. You are the piece that completes us. I thought I wasn’t supposed to exist, but loving you is the reason I exist.”
“Be our old lady.” T-Bone’s voice was barely above a plea. “Officially, legally, whatever. Will you be our wife in every capacity that matters?”
Soft caws floated through the air, growing louder as the black-feathered bird approached. Thousands of faces watched Munin float down toward the podium until he landed, securing himself with one claw while the other held a small wooden box.
“I don’t even need to look at this,” Kyrie said, taking the ring box from the bird. “The answer is yes. I love all of you so much, and you complete me too.”
“Me too?” Isaac piped up.
Kyrie laughed and rushed to hug him. “Yes, of course you too!”
The five of us forgot about everyone else watching as we embraced and kissed and laughed. My whole world condensed down to these people right here. I kissed T-Bone and Grudge without a single fuck given as to who was watching. This was my family, the people I loved the most.
“At least look at the ring,” T-Bone grumbled through his ecstatic grin. “Tiff sold off a lot of booze to a dry territory so we could buy it.”
“I can’t believe everything that’s happened in a single day,” Kyrie laughed, wiping away tears. “I’m shaking so bad, I can’t even open it.”
Grudge opened the box for her, and I slid the platinum band topped with a two-carat diamond onto her finger.
“There.” I pulled her into me, kissing her forehead. “We’re here for you in every way, forever.”
“Forever,” she repeated, sliding her arms around me.
Epilogue
KYRIE
