Page 144 of Always

Chapter Fifty-Three

Two days later, we’re back in Boston. Penny runs toward Skye, and she peppers her little face with kisses. Already she’s nearly doubled in size. She gives Sasha equal attention, while I hang my suitcoat on the coatrack near the elevator door.

Skye and I are in love, and everything is going well.

Beau Reardon is awaiting trial for assault with a deadly weapon, and his son Peter sang like a canary about the drugs, so the DA is preparing additional charges against both of them and Garrett Ramirez, who is out on bail and will stand trial for drugging and raping Tessa.

Addison is no longer a threat to either of us. I met with Brock Ames and a slew of attorneys this morning, paid back the half million dollars Brock gave me all those years ago, and we drew up a new agreement, nullifying the previous one. The statute of limitations for any allegations Addie could make against me has long expired. Now, if she comes near either of us again, we will file charges.

Skye smiles.

Christopher and the others seem to have disappeared, and she heads to the kitchen. “You want anything?” she asks me.

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

I quietly follow her into the kitchen where she grabs a glass, fills it with ice and water, and takes a long drink. She sets the glass on the counter, turns, and—

She gasps when she sees me.

I’m about to do something I never imagined wanting to do. Needing to do.

I cup her face and kiss her long and hard. She melts into me and returns my kiss. I savor her, every part of her—every part of this woman I love. What I’m going to do is all kinds of right, and although I could easily prolong the embrace and take her to the bedroom, I break the kiss. “I love you, Skye,” I say, my voice gruff.

“I love you, too.”

Then I drop to one knee.

She gasps again.

I pull a ruby-red velvet box out of my pocket, open it, and hand it to her.

It’s a ring. A diamond ring, and it’s large but not ostentatious. I know her. I know she wouldn’t want anything over the top.

“I didn’t want to do this in New York,” I say. “I wanted to do it here. In our home.”

“Our home?”

“Yes. I want you to move in with me, Skye.”

She clasps her hand to her mouth.

“The diamond choker you wear at the club is yours now,” I say. “It tells the world you’re mine in the dark. But Skye, I want the world to know you’re mine all the time. Everywhere we go.”

“Oh my God, Braden.”

“Will you accept this ring? Will you marry me? Will you be mine? Always?”

She drops to her knees in front of me, cups both my cheeks, and as a tear streams from her eye, she replies.

“Always, Braden. I’ll follow you always.”

Epilogue

Six months later…

“Do you, Skye Margaret Manning, take Braden Robert Black to be your husband? In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

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