Page 99 of Dublin's Danger Dancer

He rises from the stall and pushes his knee into the cold, tiled floor. His other huge leg comes up by my elbow. From behind his back he pulls out a small red box and opens the lid.

“I know you said no before. But I didn’t have a ring and I was, well, all over the place. The timing was… Jesus, I’m making a feckin mess of this.” He breathes out.

“I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you. And I will love you until there’s not a single breath in my body. I love our baby and whatever happens, I don’t want us to be separated in this life or any other.”

He opens the box to reveal a huge oval diamond encrusted with smaller sparkling diamonds.

I gasp.

“Make me the happiest man in the world and say yes. I can’t live without either of you.”

“Liam, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” he says, searching my eyes for an answer.

“We’ve barely known each other. I mean, we’ve really known each other for two months. This is insane.”

“I knew the moment I saw you in the club. Yes, you are beautiful and sexy as hell, but I knew when I saw you that you were part of me.”

“But Liam, I got close to you because I wanted intelligence. I used you.”

The IV burns a little through my veins as the words come out.

“You thought I murdered your sister. I can’t say that I have done any different. If you say yes. I’ll love you more than anyone else ever could. Except our baby. She’ll love you as much as I do.” Tears frame Liam’s eyes.

I swallow hard. “Marrying a dying woman is not really a sensible idea.”

“Say yes, for feck’s sake.” Tears run down my cheeks.

“Yes,” I whisper. “Yes.”

Barely able to believe the words, Liam jumps up.

“God, are you sure?” he says. “I-I just can’t believe you’ve said yes. Say it again.”

“Yes.” I say laughing.

Liam’s lips smash into mine so hard we both laugh.

A knock comes at the door and Mary appears. She’s carrying a bottle of freshly opened champagne and two glasses.

“You knew about this?” I ask.

“Yes, I thought I’d try to prime you to say yes by saying how handsome he is.” She laughs.

“It worked,” I say as she pours us both a glass of champagne.

“To my beautiful wife,” says Liam, clinking my glass.

“How did you guys meet?” asks Mary, carefully taking out my IV.

“She was a stripper, and I was one of her regulars.” says Liam, his eyes glinting.

“I love the Irish sense of humour, but really, how did you guys meet?”

“She was an undercover cop pretending to be a stripper to put me in prison,” Liam says, smiling at me like a lovesick teenager.

“Guys, come on,” says Mary. “I need ideas on where to meet my future husband!”

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