Page 122 of Sweet Madness

“I don’t know what to say…” I whisper, overwhelmed by the intensity of my emotions.

Shaw gently touches my cheek, and I close my eyes, breathing deeply at how much I missed his touch. “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmurs, making me open my eyes to meet his gaze. “I just want you to know that I love you more than anything in this world and that you are the moon and every star in the sky to me. No matter what happens, you’ll always be that to me.”

“Oh, great. Look what you’ve done, El. Now I want a cowboy.” I hear Raiza say from somewhere in the room.

“No, you don’t.”

That’s Uncle Vitali.

I can’t help but laugh. My heart feels light as it swells with love as I look up at Shaw. The world seems to fade into the background as we hold each other’s gaze.

“My heart was broken, and when you came into my life, it started to beat again.” Shaw smiles a dimpled smile at me, and suddenly, the sadness I felt just moments ago disappears.

He says that I give color to his life, but to me, he is the light. My light. All the shining stars that chase away the dark.

“Don’t ever do it again,” I whisper so only he can hear. “I won’t survive it.”

“I’d rather cut my heart out than lose you again,” he whispers, his words echoing through the large room. “I’ll love you till the moon stops shining.” As he speaks, he drops to one knee. Gasps of surprise and whispers ripple through my family, but his eyes don’t leave mine. With a trembling hand, he pulls out a small white box and opens it to reveal a stunning ring with a pink diamond.

“Ella,” he says, his voice almost shy. “Will you marry me? Will you give me the chance to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, showing you every day that you’re the reason I look forward to tomorrow?”

Tears stream down my cheeks as I gaze down at him, my heart overflowing with everything I feel for my beautiful man. Knowing that I, too, can’t live a life where he isn’t part of it, I drop to my knees in front of him, wrapping my arms around him tightly. “Yes. A thousand times yes,” I whisper. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Shaw’s expression changes from fear of me saying no to a wide smile that lights up his face, and then he laughs. “Fuck, thank you, baby,” he says before grabbing my face and pulling us close until our noses touch.

“It was always you, Shaw,” I tell him before our lips meet in a passionate kiss that seals our fate amidst the cheers and applause of my family.

Shaw pulls back and swiftly gets on his feet, pulling me up with him. We hold each other tightly. “There’ll never be anyone but you, moonshine. You’re it for me. You’re every fucking thing.”

“Right back atcha, cowboy,” I grin.

He then kisses me once more, and I melt against him, knowing that as long as I have him, everything will be okay. After all that has happened, I still believe that home is not a place. Home is Shaw.

Someone clears their throat, and Shaw and I shift our gaze to find my father standing there. Mom stands behind him with her hand on his shoulder.

My father has always been my number one man and my rock, my guiding light through life’s twists and turns. This moment must not be easy for him. I have always been his little girl, cherished and protected, and now, I am stepping into a new chapter that inevitably means a shift in our relationship.

Although I love my father with all of my heart and will always be his little girl, I have Shaw now, and he will be the one I run to first.

Pulling back from Shaw, I turn to my parents and take my father’s hand. “Dad,” I murmured softly while staring into eyes the same shade as mine. “I love you. I will always be your little girl.” I lean closer, kiss his cheek, and whisper the words I know he needs to hear.

Dad looks down at me, his eyes glistening with tears, but he manages a small, bittersweet smile. “I love you, my heart.” Then he turns to my fiancé and offers him his hand. I hold my breath, watching the interaction between my father and the man who will soon become my forever.

Shaw stares my father in the eye for a second before shaking his hand.

“You’re a better man than I was,” Dad whispers, confusing me a little. What is he talking about? My father is a good man—one of the best. I turn to Mom and watch her wipe a tear before leaning in closer to Dad and whispering something in his ear that makes him smile.

“I’ll take good care of her, sir,” my beautiful man says as he pulls me closer to his side, then looks down at me with so much love that it takes my breath away. “She’s my heart as well.”

“I have no doubt that you will,” Dad murmurs before stepping back, leaving us alone once again.

“Hey, grump.” I look up at Shaw with a grin on my face.

“Yeah, cupcake?”

“Are you happy?”

“I’ve never been this fucking happy, cupcake.” He squeezes me tighter against him and kisses the top of my head before whispering in my ear, “Thank fuck for your lucky stars. They led you to me.”

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