Page 70 of Fight for Forever

My eyes sting and my vision blurs. Joey brushes a stray tear away with his thumb and presses his forehead into mine.

“When you made that first move, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was that it was me you chose. And the longer I’ve known you, the luckier I know I am.

"I fell in love with you, not knowing what love was. All I know is, I’ve never wanted anyone, or anything more than I want you. Being with you has brought out a happiness in me I never knew existed. And every moment we’ve shared since that first date has only proven that we’re made for each other.

“I can’t imagine even a second of my life without you being by my side. You’ve made me feel alive. Cared for me and stood byme. Faced your demons to be with me, and I’ll forever be grateful that I’m the man you chose.

"Let me be that man for the rest of our lives, Meg. Let me stand beside you, lifting you, supporting you, loving you. I swear I will fight for forever with you. Always.”

Now, the tears are flowing down my cheeks. He brings his other hand around and my brows furrow when I see a beautiful red rose, the perfect rose.

He holds it out to me. I look at him, then take the flower. He wraps his hand around mine, so it’s clasped between us. I dip my head to inhale the scent of it but suck in a breath when I see the ring nestled inside the petals.

“Kitten,” he takes the ring from between the petals and holds it between us. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” I blurt out.

“Yeah?” he asks, ducking his head a little.

“Yes. It’s so beautiful,” I whisper as he takes my hand and slots the ring onto my finger.

“Like you.”

“Joey,” I sniffle. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you. I never thought I would ever find someone who made me feel the way you do, someone who has shown only love and kindness and support. Every day, I’m grateful that you chose me.”

He smiles, rubbing his fingers over the ring he has placed on me. “I guess we’re made for each other then, huh?”

I laugh and launch myself at him. He catches me with ease, barely even rocking backwards, just sweeping me into his arms, and then he is kissing me. I cling to him and he lifts me so my legs are wrapped around his hips. I never want to let him go.

“Fuck,” he groans and looks over my shoulder towards the bedroom. “Why did I do this the night before a fight?”

“You could call it off,” I joke.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Look at it this way, over the next few days, we’ll have two things to celebrate.”

“Yeah,” he kisses me again. “There is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about, now that you’ve said yes and all.”

Pulling back so I can see him more clearly I wait for him to go on, having no clue what he could be about to ask me, yet trusting him. Knowing that whatever it is, I’ll do it because I would do anything for this man.

“Marry me.”

“You already asked me that,” I laugh.

“No, I mean marry me, here, in Vegas, after the fight.”

My eyes widen. Is he serious? “Joey, how can we just get married after the fight?”

“Wearein Vegas.”

I may have believed I would never get married, but if I did, I never thought it would be in Vegas.

I thought my path was written. I would always be afraid, a scared girl trapped inside my personal hell until my life was ended. A cruel joke life played on me, my heart permanently cracked wide.

Joey put me back together. He made me see how strong I am, what I am capable of and, most important of all, he showed me I was something worth loving.

Does it matter if I get married in a Las Vegas chapel?

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