Page 82 of Sire
I grin. “Praying you’ll finally find a filter for your mouth and let me ask the questions today.”
Holding her hand, God tells me where to go and with whom.
With Wren.
Always.
A kaleidoscope of Monarch butterflies beckons us to the blue flowers. Wren’s figuring it out. I know she is; her hand is trembling in mine, and I’m getting choked up.
Jesus, Jesus. I can preach to thousands, but don’t take my voice with the one who matters the most.
Clearing my throat, I turn to kneel before her, but halt.
Wren’s already crying.
I cup her face. “Oh, Angel, don’t cryyet.”
She beams through sweet tears. “But I’m so happy. Finally.”
“You’re home.” I kiss her lips. “Finally.”
Glancing to my left, I make sure Jace is recording this, and he is. So are Grant and Loch, who look like they’ve FaceTimed our mom so she can witness this, too.
God, they’re such mama’s boys.Fuck it.We’re all proud mama’s boys.
Axel and Nash stand, arms folded and side-by-side on the edge of the road. Even they’re smiling.
I love my brothers. Soon, I hope they’ll claim their queens, too. I hope they let me make everything right again, like this…
Lowering to one knee, I take Wren’s hand in mine. It clenches my heart how her hand’s so small and shaking. When I lift my eyes to hers and find them full of light and tears, mine fill, too.
My heart pounds, fast and true with my words.
“Wren Chapel, I prayed for you. I prayed to be a man worth having a woman like you, and I’m not sure I ever can be. You’re brighter than any light I’ve seen. Wiser than every year I’ve lived. And so damn beautiful, I fall to my knees for you. You’re my immaculate angel, and I belong to you: pinky, heart, and soul. I vow to live and die for you as my wife and queen.”
She chews her lip, tears steaming down her smiling cheeks. I swallow, lifting the ring from my pocket, holding it over her trembling finger.
“Wren Chapel, will you save me, too? Will you marry me?”
I wait a heartbeat and a lifetime for her answer, panic and peace tumbling through me until…
“Yes.” She nods, choking back a sob or laughter; I can’t tell. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
Carefully, I place the ring on her finger, and she gasps at it, “Oh my God. A butterfly ring?”
I lift it to my lips. “Four karats of marquise cut diamonds, shaped into four butterflies. One for you, me, and the two souls we’ll make together.”
“Sire! It’s so perfect!” She jumps on me, wrapping her arms around my neck, making me laugh as we fall back in the grass.
Butterflies erupt around us. Hoots, hollers, and whistles can be heard from my brothers on the side of the road. I suppose our mom is clapping, too.
But all I can see is the halo of the smiling woman above me.
Lacing my hands through her hair, I pull her lips to mine. “I’m still a fallen angel, Wren, but now I’m the one who’s fallen so goddamn in love with you.”
“I love you, too. So much.” Her tears salt our kiss, her tongue a promising tease. Her body may be tiny, but her passion is as strong as mine. So is her will. “Please, don’t make me wait any more, Sire Rutledge.”
I grin. “Is someone getting impatient?”
