Page 191 of The Penalty

Clearing my throat, I held the ring up. “Victoria, will you spend forever with me?”

Her head bobbed up and down in a fierce nod.

Grinning, I pulled her hand away from her mouth. “I can’t hear you, love.”

“Yes.” She kissed me. “Ask me again. Ask me every day for the rest of our lives so I can always remember how this feels.”

“And how does it feel?” I slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

“Like fire. Smoldering and warm and consuming.” She traced the tattoo on my neck. “It feels beautiful.”

Sweeping my thumb over her lips, I leaned my forehead to hers. “I’ll ask you every day.”

“Promise?”

“Count on it.”

When she kissed me again, a deep, euphoric ache spread through my chest, more intense than the thing I’d felt that first day we met. I don’t know what I’d done to deserve her. I don’t know how or why fate chose us.

What I did know was simple.

She was mine.

I was hers.

And I would never let her go.

“Let’s go lads, let’s go,” Cade shouted, clapping his hands as he led us out of the tunnel and onto the pitch.

I looked down at Theo when he grabbed my hand and smiled. We always escort kids out with us before a game. I thought it was fitting to have my number one fan with me tonight.

Thousands of supporters roared and chanted and sang when we lined up on the pitch. The atmosphere hummed with anticipation. It was almost its own living, breathing beast.

The last match of the season was finally here.

My final match in a Royal City kit.

Of course it was against West London United. And yeah, it was for the league championship. Our third in a row if we walked away victorious.

The public service announcer asked everyone to turn their attention to the in-stadium monitor. Normally it featured the line-ups for each club.

Not this time.

My jaw dropped when a video started playing. I saw my sixteen year old self diving for the ball. Then I saw my sixteen year old self stumble his way through an interview.

Bloody hell.

I knew the club planned something but I was not expecting this.

Cade elbowed me. “Look at that handsome little face. What happened?”

“Piss off.”

“A bit heavy on the pomp and circumstance, don’t you think?”

“Wait until it’s your turn.”

He laughed. “Take it all in, Maddox. You’re a massive hero. An arse, but a well-loved one. You deserve it.”

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