Page 154 of Devilish Ink

It was our little game. One last time.

“Come on, Ry,” Liam insisted, nodding toward the cash register, “ring me up.”

I relented and Liam followed me to the counter. Looking at him with an“Are you happy?”look, I punched randomly at buttons.

The machine dinged as the cash drawer popped open.

“How much?” Liam asked, reaching for his back pocket.

Playing my part, I said, hands on his hips, “At least let me offer you a discount if you insist on paying.”

Liam drew up one of his eyebrows. “A discount for what?” he asked, his voice low.

I circled my finger in the air, thinking.

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, grinning up at him.

The last rays of sunlight illuminated his eyes.

I smirked. “For finding me. For stalking me.”

He’d admitted everything he’d done in pursuit of me. How he’d watched me and followed me.

But I couldn’t be angry at him for long. His shadowy presence had stopped Balor from snatching me.

Nor could I stay angry that he’d installed a secret tracker in the bracelet he’d given me. We wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t.

“…for saving me,” I added.

Liam paused with his hand still stretched toward his back pocket.

I continued, “For stealing my breath away, in more ways than one. For loving me, for trusting me. For healing me. For giving me the greatest gift in the world.”

I placed a kiss at Liam’s jaw.

“For loving me.”

I lowered myself back down from my tiptoes. I smiled up at him, half of my world.

“Is this the part where you ask me to go on a first date with you as payment?” I asked, grinning like a schoolgirl with a crush.

Liam finally pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He had a wry smile as he said, “I think we’re past first dates.”

I held out my hand for whatever bills he was going to give me. The heaviness of what he dropped into my palm surprised me.

“I was hoping you’d take this instead,” he said.

I stared down at the diamond ring. Ink from my palm already stained the vintage ivy curling around the gold band and the sharp corners of the rock.

I looked up at Liam as he dropped to one knee.

“Ryleigh Carroll,” he said, cupping my open hand in both of his. “Mother of my daughter. The love of my life. Will you also be my wife?”

I blabbered ayes, yes, hell fucking yesand Liam swept me into his arms, his lips crashing onto mine.

Everyone coming down the stairs at once sounded like a stampede of animals.

“I told you they weren’t fucking!” Mason shouted over the calls of congratulations.

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