Chapter 59

If someone toldme a year ago that I’d be in Vegas after winning my first professional fight, with a hefty bank account, about to propose to the only woman I’d ever loved, I would’ve asked them what they’d been smoking.

“Where are we going?” Molly asks as I lead her out of our hotel into a waiting limo. “Oh wow. This is nice.” She slides her hands over the sleek, black leather seats.

I talked her into wearing the other dress she bought, a deep shade of purple with thin shoulder straps, a plunging neckline and flared skirt that reaches her knees. Very much her style.

As the limo moves, she slips a thin purple cardigan over her shoulders.

“Are you chilly?” I ask, pulling her closer.

“A little.”

“I’ll keep you warm.” I thread my fingers into her hair, cupping the back of her head and dropping my mouth to hers.

She curls her hand against the back of my neck, eagerly returning the kiss. She sighs a happy, contented sound into my mouth as I deepen our kiss. I rest one hand on her knee over her dress. Dying to touch her soft legs but knowing once I do, I won’t be able to stop. And I’d rather not give our driver a show.

She pulls away and stares up at me with love and trust shining in her blue eyes. “Where are we going?” she asks again.

“We’ll be there soon.” I’m so giddy, so close to cracking like an egg and spilling everything, but I want to surprise her.

I pull her closer and bury my face against her neck, tasting her skin and breathing in the cherry-vanilla scent of her hair.

“You know how much I love you?” I murmur against her neck.

She strokes her fingers against my cheek. “Not as much as I love you.” Her lips brush my forehead over the now-healed scar. “I love being here with you. Discovering somewhere new together. I want to do so many things with you. Go everywhere. Do everything with you.”

How is she stealing the words from my proposal? It doesn’t matter. All it means is our hearts are on the same path. This is the perfect time.

The limo slows to a stop. A few seconds later, the back door opens. The desert air simmers against my skin as we step out. I take Molly’s hand.

“Mr. Royal, welcome.” We’re greeted by the friendly, fatherly owner of the company. When I’d spoken to him earlier today, he promised to have everything ready and perfect for us.

“Hi, Mr. Roberts. This is my girlfriend, Molly.”

“Welcome. Are you ready for the best view in Vegas?”

Molly’s eyes widen as she takes in the hot-air balloon basket. She clutches my hand tighter. “What is this?”

“Sunset hot-air balloon ride.” I lean down and whisper in her ear. “I’m feeling on top of the world right now and I want you to feel that too.”

Her expression softens. “I already feel that way with you.”

“Let’s check out the view from up top, then.”

The balloon’s vibrant colors stand out against the late afternoon sky. I squeeze her hand.

Mr. Roberts shows us around the balloon and explains the safety procedures. A lot of it amounts to don’t be a dumbass.

The one flaw in my plan is the stranger operating the balloon watching me propose. I’d rather do it without an audience. I could do it back at the hotel.

No. I’m doing it now. Stick to the plan.

My heart’s racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. I love Molly. There’s no way this can go wrong. She’s my peace, everything warm and beautiful in my life. I want to spend every last one of my days on this earth with her by my side.

The ground crew scurries around, checking ropes and the burner. The efficiency and attention to detail reassures me.

We step into the gondola of the hot-air balloon. Molly’s eyes shine with excitement as she curls her fingers over the edge of the basket and stares out at the landscape. “We’re really doing this?” Her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yup.”

Mr. Roberts gives his crew a final nod. A powerful burst of flame shoots into the balloon’s envelope and we slowly rise. The ground falls away slowly.

The sun’s low in the sky. Lights twinkle below us, in contrast with the sprawling desert landscape. We drift higher and higher. The only sound an occasional burst from the burner and the gentle creak of the basket. It’s peaceful. I pull Molly into my arms and we take in the view.

Now, I just need to time this right.

Molly

The serenity of floating above so much beauty steals my breath. Griff’s quiet, holding me tight, but he seems lost in thought.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I whisper.

“It’s incredible.” He drops his gaze to my face. “Are you happy? Did I surprise you?”

“Yes, and yes. This is amazing. I can’t believe how peaceful it is compared to how chaotic it was in the city.”

The pilot shifts our direction, giving us a beautiful view of the desert sunset. The sinking sun casts a golden glow over the landscape. Vibrant shades of orange, pink, and deep purple slowly transform the sky. I peek up at Griff and he meets my eyes. The corners of his mouth curve, the warm smile he only gives to me. The one that makes my heart flutter faster.

“You’re not watching the sunset,” I say.

“I see it.” He turns slightly toward the quickly setting sun, then back to me. “You’re just prettier.”

He kneels on one knee, the basket gently swaying.

My heart pounds with uncertainty. “Griff?”

There’s a click from the pilot’s direction, but I can’t take my eyes off of Griff.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Give me a second.” His eyes close and he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small blue velvet box. “I need to ask you something.”

“Griff?” My voice rises. Tears sting my eyes.

“You make everything so much brighter, more interesting. I want to go everywhere with you. See everything. Discover new things. Enjoy the familiar. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” His words die down to an emotional rasp. “Will you be my wife, Molly? Will you marry me?” His lips tilt into my favorite teasing grin and he meets my eyes. “Two years from now. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I want to jump into his arms, but I don’t dare rock the basket. “Yes! You know I will.”

He opens the box and pulls out a ring. Sleek white gold gleams under the fading light and the large stone in the center glitters like it’s plugged into an electrical socket.

“Griff?” My voice is a hushed whisper. “What…oh my God. It’s beautiful.”

He slides the oval bezel-set solitaire onto my ring finger. It feels substantial, full of promises for our future.

Griff stands and pulls me into a kiss. The slide of his lips against mine feels both familiar and new.

“Congratulations!” the pilot says.

How’d I forget he was there?

Laughing, I pull away but keep my hand on Griff’s chest. “Thank you.”

Griff wraps his arms around my waist and turns, so we’re facing the view. He leans down, kisses my neck, and whispers in my ear, “I want to make you happy every day.”

“You already do.”

Our balloon descends, the city lights becoming brighter before we veer toward the desert. The pilot lands smoothly and points out a small table with a bucket and container sitting on top.

“Thank you,” Griff says to the pilot as we step out of the basket. The pilot hands him something and then Griff leads me to the table.

He picks up the chilled glass bottle. “It’s sparkling cider,” he assures me.

“Oh!” I lean in closer. “I wasn’t going to tell anyone if it wasn’t.”

He chuckles and pops the top, pouring it into two champagne flutes and handing one to me. “To building a lifetime of memories just like this,” I say.

“To building a life together,” he adds.

We clink our glasses together and sip the sweet, bubbly cider.

It’s still too dark to inspect my ring, but the weight of it on my finger reminds me of all it symbolizes.

“Oh, here.” Griff picks up a square white box on the table and peels the lid back, revealing six plump strawberries drenched in dark and white chocolate.

My mouth waters. “They look so good.” I pluck the smallest one out of the box and carefully take a bite. Strawberry juice runs down my chin and Griff swoops closer, kissing it away.

Laughing, I feed him the other half of the strawberry. My fingers curl in his T-shirt and I tug him closer to kiss me. The sparkling of my ring catches my eye. “It’s so pretty. How’d you know I’d love it so much?”

“I was hoping I got it right.” He takes my hand, admiring the symbol of his promise to me. “Did you see the little hidden halo of diamonds under the stone? I thought that was so cool.”

“What? No! Is that why it’s so extra sparkly?”

He nods, a pleased gleam in his eyes.

“Is this what you were doing this morning?” I ask, realization setting in.

He gives me a sheepish smile. “Yes. I’m shocked Remy didn’t spill it.”

My jaw drops. “You told him?”

He tilts his head. “Yeah, I did.” He holds his hands up. “I didn’t ask his permission. But yeah, I told him what I was planning.”

My heart squeezes in the best way. “This morning, I told him we were planning to get married in two years and I thought he was going to have a heart attack at first. But he seemed to recover awfully fast. Now I know why.”

Griff shakes his head like he’s still processing tonight. “I’m going to be your husband,” he says with the sweetest, goofiest grin on his face.

“Yes, you are.” I loop my arms around his neck and pull him down for more kisses. “And I’m going to be your wife.”

“I’ll protect you and love you for the rest of my life, Muffin.”

“I know you will. I love you so much.” I trail my lips along his jaw. “I may not have your fists or muscles.” I squeeze his bicep. “But I’ll always have your back.”

“That’s all I need.” He touches his lips to mine to seal our deal. “You and me against the world.”

* * *

Jigsaw’s story is coming next!

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or check out the excerpt below…

ROMAN

Major changesin our living situation happened within a few days.

Griff and I were hanging out in our room when our door swung wide open, banging into the wall with a thud.

“Got a new roomie for you two,” the guard said, shoving a tall, beefy kid holding a stack of blue sweats against his chest into our room. “Play nice.”

“Fuck no!” Griff grinned, jumping off his bunk. “What are you doing here, Eraser?”

They embraced and thumped each other’s backs like long-lost twins. Thank fuck. Maybe this would give Griff the opportunity to big brother all over someone else for a change.

“What’s with the orange jammies?” Griff slapped his friend’s chest.

“Just got out of solitary.”

I lifted my head at the voice and looked at the kid closer. “Easton?”

He turned and stared at me. Yup, it had to be him. I jumped off my bunk.

“Roman. Holy shit. The fuck you been eating, Miracle-Gro?” He ambled over and tossed his clothes on the bottom bunk, then crushed me in a big bear hug.

“I could say the same about you.” I patted his back and pulled away to look him over again. “How you been?”

“Well,” he ran his hands down the front of his orange scrub top, “not great, obviously. But I’m alive and still fuckin’ shit up, so that’s something, right?”

“Yeah.” I slapped his outstretched hand, clasped it and yanked him in for another quick hug. “That’s everything.”

“So, I take it you two know each other,” Griff said, joining us.

“We crossed paths at a foster home or two,” I explained.

“Mrs. Camp’s house for wayward kids,” Easton agreed. “Heard she kicked the bucket awhile back.”

“I heard her daughter’s like a social worker or some shit now.”

“Missy? That chick was always asking me to look at the moles on her vag.”

I choked on a laugh. “All righty then. I could’ve lived a perfectly fine life never knowing that.”

“She never pulled her pants down for you?”

I could barely get out an answer through my laughter. “No.”

“Christ, that shit scarred me for life.” He shivered with disgust. “Got bounced outta there because of her.”

Easton slapped Griff’s shoulder, then mine. “I can’t believe you two are roomies. Just when I thought this stint was gonna fuckin’ break me.”

“I only got a few weeks left,” Griff said. “I hope.”

Easton nodded. “What about you, Roman?”

“No idea. Got sent up from a group home on some bullshit.”

“Sorry, bro.”

Griff patted Easton’s back. “You’re in luck, Roman. Eraser’s a beast in the cage. He’ll help me train you.”

“What’s this Eraser shit?” I asked, ignoring the part about them training me.

The two of them shared a sly smirk.

“It’s a ring name he picked up.” Griff dropped to a low, dramatic crouch, sweeping his arms through the air like a dive-bar magician. “Our boy can make someone disappear with his fists,” he added in a low, theatrical voice.

“Good to know.” I chuckled and made a jerking off motion with my fist. “I was thinking it was ’cause you got caught rubbing one out.”

Eraser burst out laughing. “Fuck no.”

“Hey.” Griff’s expression turned serious. “How’s Ella doing? Where’s she at?”

Eraser side-eyed Griff. “I’m gonna ignore the fact that you brought my girl’s name up after talk of rubbin’ one out and assume your question is genuine.”

Griff’s mouth flattened to a thin line, but his cheeks twitched. “Bro, I swear I’m serious.”

Whoever Ella was, the mention of her name sucked all the humor out of Eraser. “I don’t know, Griff. I gotta get the fuck outta here so I can track her down.”

“You best stop gettin’ your ass thrown in solitary then.”

“No shit.”

“Give me whatever information you’ve got. I’ll pass it along to Remy. See if he can find her.”

“Thanks.” The two of them shuffled over to the beat-up desk in the corner to talk quietly.

I hopped back in my bunk and pulled out one of Juliet’s letters.

“You got a girl, Roman?” Eraser asked.

I held up the paper in my hand. “Yeah. Juliet.”

“Roman and Juliet?” he snickered. “You serious?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Oh shit. I just got that.” Griff giggled like a little fuckin’ kid. “That’s precious.”

“I wouldn’t announce it took you that long, Griff. Makes you sound like an illiterate fuck.” Eraser gave his buddy a quick shove.

“Fuck both of you,” I grumbled.

“She pretty?” Eraser asked.

“Who?”

“Your girl.”

My mouth curved up. “Prettiest girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“Aww!” they shouted.

Eraser hopped up on my bunk, swinging his legs over the side.

“Don’t get comfortable,” I warned him. “I’m not trading.” We’d shared a room for a couple months when we were kids, and I liked the guy well enough. This reunion was fun and all, but I wasn’t going to let him push me around. Didn’t give a fuck what his new nickname was.

“Ease up.” He lifted his chin toward Griff’s side of the room. “I’ll take the bottom bunk on his side.”

“Damn right,” Griff muttered. “Your big ass ain’t sleeping over my head.”

“Dude, do you even fit on that mattress?” Eraser waved his hand at the bed. “Your mega clown feet probably hang over the edge.”

“Keep it up and I’ll shove one of my clown feet up your ass.” Griff lifted one sneakered foot in the air.

They cracked up and continued trading insults.

“Hey, let’s go down to the gym and teach Roman a few skills,” Griff suggested.

Was he serious? Now? “I’m plenty skilled.”

“In here, the fights are different from anything you’ve seen on the outside.” Griff’s grave tone got under my skin. “It’s not the same as defending yourself when you know a teacher or counselor will break it up any minute.”

“You’ve clearly never spent time in any group homes,” I said.

“No, he’s right, Roman,” Eraser chimed in. “Guards place bets. They want a good show.”

“I’ve noticed.” I wasn’t getting out of this. One way or another I’d probably get tossed in the ring at some point. If these two were that good, I’d be stupid not to let them train me.

I stashed Juliet’s letter away and sat up. “All right. Let’s go.”