Page 232 of The Re-Proposal

I close my eyes, regretting so much.

My last days with mom could have been more joyful.

I could have loved myself properly. I never really got the chance to.

And Cody…

I would have stayed and worked things out instead of running away. I would have barged into his world and taken over rather than cower.

“Goodbye, Miss Maura.”

Boom!

A gun goes off.

I wait for the pain to tear through me, but it doesn’t.

Instead, my ears ring.

My feet remain on the floor.

I’m alive?

I hear Winifred’s body flop.

A door bangs open.

Clay walks in holding a gun still pointed at Winifred.

“Ugh.” Winifred is at my feet, groaning in pain, a bullet hole torn through the hand that was holding the gun on me.

A siren wails in the distance.

Cody rushes into the room followed by Doberman and his security team. I recognize my beefy neighbour. The man who called himself ‘John’ when he introduced himself to me in the hallway last week smiles sheepishly.

I knew he was security.

“Perimeter is clear,” Doberman says. “I think it was just these two.”

Cody’s eyes knife into my gut. I can’t stop looking at him.

“Are you okay?” he mouths.

I nod.

His lips curl up slightly. Watching him is like feeling the sun on my face after a hurricane. I drink in his broad shoulders, square jaw and those eyes full of love.

I’m more than enough and I don’t need you to tell me that.

I just need you in my world.

The realization settles on me and fills me with peace.

Cody moves toward me.

A world of ‘I love yous’ rush between us.

I start running to him, ready to throw myself into his arms.

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