Page 118 of The Betrayal You Serve
"Huh?" I ask when I find another wrapped box.
Kane chuckles but urges me to continue.
I open that box, then find another, and another, and another.
"How small is this present?" I ask, opening yet another box.
"Pretty small. I wanted to impress you with the size." He wiggles his brows.
"I have no complaints about the size of anything, Legend."
"Good to know," he mutters before his breath catches as I open what I can only assume is the final box.
I pull the wrapping away to find a small black velvet jewelry box.
My heart thunders and my hands shake as ideas of what could be inside this box fill my mind.
"Kane?" I whisper when he slips from the edge of the couch and drops to one knee. "Oh my God," I gasp, my hand covering my mouth as he takes the box from me and flips it open.
The ring almost makes my eyes pop out of my head, it's different and beautiful and everything, but I can't keep my gaze on it because I have to look at Kane.
His eyes glisten as he stares at me.
"Letty, I know it's not been long. But when you know, you know, right? I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you when we were eight years old, I just had no clue what it meant or how to deal with it. You terrified me, you excited me, you captivated me.
"Our history is sketchy at best, but I've already told you that I want to spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. This is my promise, Letty. My real one."
"Will you, Scarlett Jada Hunter, stand by me for the rest of our lives, hold my hand when things get tough and promise to fuck me like a whore at every possible opportunity—"
A laugh erupts from my throat despite the fact I'm barely holding on to my tears.
"Will you, one day in the future when we've fully got our shit together, marry me?"
"Yes, Kane. A million times yes."
I drop to my knees before him, take his cheeks in my hands and kiss him as if it's the last chance we'll ever get.
By the time we break apart, we're both panting for breath and more than ready to seal the deal.
He stares into my eyes for the longest time making me feel stripped bare as he looks directly into my soul. But as scary as it is to know we've found this connection, it's the most exhilarating feeling in the world.
His fingers brush mine as he lifts my hand and plucks the ring from its cushion.
"It's taken me a long time to find this. I couldn't get you something normal, it just wouldn't be right for us."
I laugh at him as he slides the white gold ring up my finger but really, I couldn't agree more.
The princess cut black diamond is surrounded by normal diamonds which sparkle in the lights from the Christmas tree.
"Kane, it's perfect. I love it." Lifting my eyes to his. "But not as much as I love you." I throw my arms around his shoulders and hold him tight.
He allows me five whole minutes before he stands with me in his arms, carries me to our bedroom, and throws me unceremoniously down in the center of the bed, promising to show me exactly what a life with him might be like.
I squeal with happiness as he jumps on top of me and claims my mouth.
Happiness rolls through me and for the first time in my life, I feel like I've really found my place.
Kane and I might have looked like a disaster waiting to happen. But the reality is, we were just meant to be.
