Page 15 of Always
“Sleep, Little Love. I’ll wake you in a few hours. Jonas will be home soon from his travels and then we have a plane to catch.”
He looks like he wants to say so much more, but he places a sweet kiss on my forehead and tucks me in beneath his chin. So I do.
We’re in KINGSTON.
Not only are we in Kingston, but we’re also standing outside of an empty Valentino’s - myfavoritegourmet pizza place on Seventh. I look at my well-dressed men quizzically because even though it looks like it’s open, there’s no one inside. Maverick opens the door with a grin. “C’mon birthday girl.”
I arch a brow in question but I go ahead and step through the threshold with Jonas and Damon flanking me. I cover my mouth immediately when a gasp escapes me. There are candles everywhere and twinkling lights all around. The staff iswaiting for us in the background and I wave at them, recognizing a few of the faces. In the middle, there is one large singular table waiting for me with all of my favorites. I squeal and kiss each of my men.
“Do you like it, baby?” Jonas asks and I nod.
“I love it.” I breathe against his lips.
He smiles so wide his dimples pop and they lead me to the table. I sit across from Damon, Jonas and Maverick on either side of me, and we dig in and just like always, they talk about their days. I know I shouldn't feel as though I'm boring but I meant what I said to Sabrina. I don’t really have anything to say. Other than an anecdote about Kronos or Luci here and there. I think I’m afraid that one day, they’re not only going to find me boring, but… one day they’re going to realize all I really have to offer is… just… me.
I sit back and listen to them talk, really wishing I had Kronos to pet. I would say Luci but he likes me on his own time. Although he is more compliant about cuddles if I give him a treat first. He’s gotten chunky and I love him so much. It also makes me laugh when Maksim calls him my demon cat. Good little Luci.
The conversation is still flowing when I hear a familiar voice begin to sing Happy Birthday from the kitchen. I look over not only to see Sabrina holding a cheesecake with a 25 candle lit, but Maksim, Parker, Elena, and Damon’s parents as well. I know Jonas said his dad was in London helping ArmStark find a new building to open their offices there. Whatever that is.
I smile wide as my men join in and sing. I blow out the candle and Sabrina serves us all a slice, pulling up more chairs so they can join us.
You’re in so much trouble.I sign at my best friend. She and Parker tilt their heads back and laugh. Maksim smiles at her laughter. I do love them both for her. Parker is her light, Maksimher dark. That sounds bad. But there is so much solace in the dark and quiet. I would know. I have my own beacon of light. My own anchor. My own devil.
“As if I’d ruin your surprise party?” She scoffs with a little evil half-smile.
Elena leans over and plants a kiss on my cheek. Those still make me melt every time and she knows it. “Happy birthday, darling. You look so beautiful.”
I glance around the table at everything I’ve gained over the last year, feeling so full inside, my eyeballs leak.
“Oh, darling, are you alright?”
“My heart… is h-happy.” I choke on a sob.
Elena pulls me in for a hug and it’s so warm I let a few more tears leak out. It’s then I notice the entire place has gone dead silent. When I pull away, my eyes widen at the sight of Damon on one knee, a ring box in his hand.
He grins at me and clears his throat. “Amourette. It has been one full year since I uprooted my entire life on a whim and never once have I ever regretted that decision. You are the most fascinating woman I have ever known. What began as an infatuation, an obsession, became so much more. Your silence captivated me but soon I realized it wasn’t your silence at all. It was you. I had fallen for you in so many different ways on so many different days.” He pauses, taking in a ragged breath, but his glittering steely eyes show every emotion he bottles up.
“Every day, you remind me just how muchyoulove me, so unconditionally, so beautifully, and just when I think I can’t possibly love you more, I do. I fall for you again. Openly. Excitedly. Irrevocably.” He opens the box to a thin, black ring with amethysts on the side and a salt-and-pepper diamond cut in a way I've never seen before. “I cannot wait to fall in love with each rendition of you, Amourette. Will you marry me?”
Finally out of my stupor, I nod excitedly and he slips the ring on my finger, sealing us with a kiss.
“Baby?”
I turn to see Jonas on his knee to my right, holding another velvet box. I shut my eyes as more tears fall, and pop them back open.
But he’s crying, too. He sniffs and chuckles. “This isfor realthis time.” I laugh and he grins. “You can tell me no again, but I’ll just ask again tomorrow.”
The entire table laughs. But I’m not. I’m losing myself to a glittering sunset, caught-in-a-meadow eyes. Eyes that devastate me with how much love they hold when they look at me. Love that is so tangible I can feel it from where he’s kneeled, racing towards me like rays of a dying sun to give me just a bit more warmth.
“I rehearsed this so many times in the mirror for weeks, but I seem to have forgotten it because you look so pretty, baby. I love you so much. It didn’t take me long to know you were the one for me. It was instant. I know how crazy that sounds-” I shake my head because I knew it, too. “But you accepted my form of crazy and never batted an eye. I told you once I never want to miss a single thing you do, and I meant it. I am so in love with you and all I want, every day of every hour, is you.” Like Damon, he slips the ring onto my finger. There are no amethysts on this one, but again, the salt-and-pepper diamond is cut oddly. “Will youpleasemarry me?”
“Yes!” I sob and he kisses me sweetly, it brings more tears to my eyes. My sweet, sweet angel. but then moves away.
And my heart slows to a stop to see Maverick on one knee. His peridot eyes show a bit of tension, like he’s afraid I’ll reject him. I reach a hand out to cup his jaw. He leans into my touch, his features and shoulders visibly relaxing. Only then do I let my hand drop. He clears his throat. “Angel… I neverthought I’d be in this position. Never once did I ever think I’d be so… happy. Not just content buthappyand in love. The world out there… the things I’ve seen…” he shakes his head, closing his eyes but they snap back open, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“You bring me a peace I can’t live without. You are the comfort, the refuge, thepeacemy heart, soul and mind have searched for for what feels like eons. You saw me and accepted me as I am and never asked for more even when I did. I’m still not exactly sure what I did to even deserve a glimpse of you. And for that, I promise to try to do my best to be the same for you. All I know is that I want you, and the chance to prove it to you every day for the rest of my life… If you’ll have me.” He slips the last ring on my finger.
It’s like Damon’s but upside down and now that I see them altogether, they fit. It’s a kite-shaped salt-and-pepper diamond with three amethysts on each side.
