Page 14 of Brutal for It
I shoot her a look. “I wasn’t planning on it. I want something that fits her.”
Jenni softens, the teasing slipping into something almost protective. “Then you already know what you’re looking for. You just need me to nod at it so you don’t second-guess yourself.”
Maybe she’s right. I’ve spent weeks thinking about this. Hell, maybe years if I’m honest. From the moment I carried Jami out of Ezra’s hellhole, bleeding and whispering that she finally had her power back, I knew. It was clearer than anything ever before. I knew she was mine.
The last three years just proved me right.
The woman behind the counter is all smiles and red lipstick. “Looking for engagement rings today?”
“Yeah.” The word tastes good. Feels permanent. “Something classic. Nothing too flashy.”
“Simple,” Jenni cuts in, leaning on the counter. “Jami’s not the kind of girl who wants to wave her hand around in a room to show off.”
I grin. “She’d probably punch me if I tried to stick her with something heavy enough to drag her hand down.”
The saleslady laughs politely and brings out a tray. Diamonds glitter under the glass. They all look the same to me at first—too bright, too perfect, like they don’t belong in our world. But then I see one.
It’s a solitaire, round cut, on a thin platinum band. Nothing over the top, nothing that screams for attention. Just steady and shining, like her.
“That one,” I say, pointing before I can even think about it.
Jenni picks it up, studies it, then glances at me. Her smile is soft. “That’s her. No doubt.”
Relief floods me. I slide my card across the counter before I can change my mind.
Driving home, the box sits in my pocket like it’s burning through the denim. Jenni chatters about work, about Crunch, about some neighbor who’s been mowing more of their yard every week instead of sticking to their side. I half-listen, nodding when I need to, but my brain is already five steps ahead.
I know where I’m doing it.
Virginia.
There’s a little cabin up in the Blue Ridge, tucked away from everything. Just us, the mountains, and the sound of the wind through the trees. I want her to say yes where the world is wide open, where there’s nothing between us and the horizon.
I can already picture it: her hair loose, the sunset bleeding across the ridgeline, her eyes wide when I drop to one knee.
Hell, I’ve never been nervous about much in my life, but this? This makes my palms sweat.
By the time I get home, the sun’s low. The compound was quiet—most of the brothers are out, Red’s probably with his wife, Crunch and Jenni off somewhere. I stopped by to check in with Tripp for an upcoming transport before I came home. Business done, now was time for my relaxation with her. I walk into the house, kick off my boots, and there she is.
Jami.
She’s sitting on the couch with her feet tucked under her, hair messy from the day, a paperback in her lap. She looks up, and the whole damn world slows down. Three years and it still hits me like a punch.
“Hey,” she says, smiling. “You’re late.”
“Had to run an errand.” I slide the ring box deeper into my pocket before she can notice. “Come for a ride with me.”
Her brows lift. “Now? It’s almost dark.”
“Best time.” I hold out my hand. “C’mon, Tiny. Just you and me.”
She hesitates for a second, then closes her book and slips her hand into mine. “Alright.”
Ten minutes later, we’re on my bike.
She climbs on behind me, arms sliding around my waist like they’ve always belonged there. Her chin presses lightly against my shoulder as the engine rumbles to life.
I roll us out of the driveway, onto the back roads, the night air cool against my face. The world blurs—trees, fields, the fading glow of the horizon—and all I feel is her.
