Page 28 of Snatched Up By the Cartel

He searched my eyes, his breath catching in his throat as he processed the sincerity of my words. "I'm sorry too," he whispered. "For keeping secrets, for not trusting you with the truth. Can you ever forgive me, Mateo?"

I took his hands in mine, my thumbs brushing away the tears that escaped. Of course I was going to forgive him. It was the easiest thing I could do.

"I already have," I said softly. "And I want us to be together, to build a life for our baby. Please, Rylan, give me another chance."

He nodded, his eyes shining with tears he didn't want to let out. That was easier than I thought it was going to be. I thought he would never want me by his side again.

"I want that too," he whispered. "I love you, Mateo. I always have."

I pulled him into my arms, my body surrounding his, our bond strengthening with each passing moment. "I love you too," I whispered, my lips brushing his hair. "And I promise, no matter what happens, I'm here to stay."

We stood there, our arms wrapped around each other, our hearts beating as one, our love stronger than ever. He pressed himself against me more. He wanted every part of my body.

I knew we had a long road ahead, that Vance would be back, but in that moment, with Rylan in my arms, I felt a sense of peace, a certainty that no matter what came our way, we could beat it.

As we waited for the ambulance to arrive, Rylan sat on my lap, his back resting against my chest, my arms wrapped protectively around him. He trusted me again. Today was a turning point in our lives.

My hand roamed his swollen belly, my touch gentle as I felt our baby kick, a reminder of the life we had created together. Soon, very soon, he would be with us.

"I love you, Mateo," Rylan whispered, his eyes gleaming with tears. "I always have, and I always will."

I pressed a soft kiss to his temple, my lips lingering on his skin. Then, I breathed in his scent. It was just as I remembered it. I didn't think I could ever forget it.

"And I love you," I whispered. "No matter what happens, I'm here to stay. Our baby will know his parents' love, no matter what."

He leaned back, his eyes searching mine, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. His touch was gentle and warm. He made me feel like never before. We were the only ones who knew how much I missed this.

"Promise me," he whispered, his voice shaking. "Promise me that, no matter what, you are going to stay with me."

I kissed his cheek again. "Sure, my love. Don't worry about it. I can promise you that. In fact, I'm already doing so. I'm going to stay with you. I will never make the same mistake again."

He leaned against me, letting out all the air that was in his lungs. "It feels so good to hear those things coming from you. I can really trust you again and you can trust me."

I brushed a stray lock of his hair to the side. "I trust you. I know that, from now on, you are always going to tell me everything."

Rylan breathed loudly again. "I know. I'll always tell you everything."

And, in that instant, we knew our lives from that moment on were going to be much easier.

Rylan's Epilogue

10 years later…

Ten years had passed since the turbulent events that had brought Mateo and me together. Our lives had transformed, molded by the trials we had faced and the love that had grown between us. It had been a lot, yes, but it was all well worth it. There were some things I would change, but I would definitely go through it all just to stay with Mateo.

As I sat on the couch next to him, our fingers entwined, I felt a sense of peace, a contentment that came from the life we had built together. He made me feel happy just by being next to me. His effect on me was something I couldn't live without.

The news played softly in the background, the anchor's voice drawing my attention. "...in other news, a notorious criminal, Vance Blackwood, has been arrested for the murder of a store owner. Blackwood, known for his involvement in various criminal activities, will finally face justice. He is expected to serve a minimum of twenty years in prison for his crimes."

I felt Mateo's hand tighten around mine, his eyes fixed on the screen. Just like me, he didn't think we were going to hear about Vance right now. It had been so long since his attack on Sebastian. We thought he had disappeared.

"Finally," Mateo murmured. "He couldn't hide from justice forever. It took a lot of time, but the police finally found him, and only because he committed another crime."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving the screen as the anchor continued. I was enjoying the news report as much as Mateo was. We were both reveling in it.

"Blackwood has evaded capture for years, his criminal activities spanning decades. But today, he will face the consequences of his actions."

And, I supposed that just like the news anchor, we were hoping he wouldn't get out of prison again. This time, he had to stay locked up for the rest of his life.

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