Page 197 of Mad Love

Welp, here went nothing.

I slid off his lap and grabbed the ring from the box as I dropped to my knees in front of him.

His eyes went wide and snapped to mine. “Maddie.”

“Kinda had this planned differently,” I admitted with a weak laugh, “but Ryan Cain, I love you. You’re it for me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me? Again?”

He stared at me, and my pulse quickened as I tried to get a read on him.

“Girls don’t propose to boys,” Cori said from behind me.

“Some girls do,” Ryan answered for me, his eyes never leaving mine. “More importantly, my girl does.”

A smile pulled at my mouth.

“Hell, yes, Maddie,” he told me, reaching down and hauling me into his arms. “Hell fucking yes.”

I grinned, wrapping my arms around his neck as he kissed me.

“That’s three swears, Ryan,” Cori warned. “You owe me nine dollars.”

I broke off our kiss with a laugh as our friends shouted and clapped their approval. I blushed at the attention.

Linc gave a breathy sigh and swooned forward. “Are you gonna put it on him, Maddie?”

“I hate you guys sometimes,” I grumbled, my face on fire as I pushed the ring onto Ryan’s left hand. As soon as I finished, he swooped in and kissed me until Cori squealed we were being gross.

Ryan pulled back with a grin and a promise in his eyes that we’d celebrate together tonight.

Ash cleared his throat and stood up. “So, do you want this now? Or still wanna wait until we’re done here?”

Ryan laughed and held out his hand for Ash to put something in it. When he opened his palm, a ring lay there. One diamond, surrounded by a nest of topaz and ruby gems.

The colors of Phoenix.

I glanced down at my left wrist, where my first tattoo had been inked a day earlier by Bishop. A phoenix to match all the others, since I was now a permanent part of the organization and their family.

“I planned to ask you when Cori was done,” Ryan explained, slipping the ring onto my left hand. He leaned forward and kissed me before murmuring against my lips, “But you had to beat me to it.”

“Can I be the flower girl?” Cori asked, excitement brimming in her voice as she twirled in place.

“You can be whatever you want,” I promised, beaming at her and then admiring my ring as I leaned against his chest. It was nothing like Madelaine’s ring, and not at all like the one Ryan had given me from his nana.

But this ring—these rings—were us, just the way Grandpa said they should be. Full of fire and promise and utterly unbreakable.

Now and forever.

EPILOGUE

MADDIE

Three weeks later

As I came in the front door, I tripped over Linc’s massive shoes, which he’d left in the middle of the floor.

Again.

“Lincoln!” I shouted as I slammed the door and set my purse down on the table to the right. I scooped up the shoes before storming through the house, looking for him.

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