22. Whizz

”Can I really be here?” I overheard Kyle asking Dylan, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

I had to remind myself, it was Tommy, not Kyle. Tommy, Marc”s long-lost brother, had finally come home.

All four of us, Marc, Tommy, Dylan, and I, had taken a drive out to my old family cabin in the woods.

Tommy had known Jake during their captivity, and it meant a lot to him to visit Jake”s grave.

It was a somber occasion, a bittersweet reunion of sorts. We stood under the oak trees. The forest around us seemed silent and serene.

As Tommy gazed down at Jake’s grave, I watched from a respectful distance. This moment was deeply personal for Tommy.

According to Marc, Jake had been more than just a fellow captive; he had been a friend.

Dylan put a hand on Tommy”s shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Two months had slipped by since we”d finally rid ourselves of Hicks and his crew for good.

As I watched Dylan and Tommy, I couldn”t help but silently marvel at how far they had come.

Dylan had officially moved in with me at the MC clubhouse, and we had spent countless hours transforming it into a cozy and space.

I”d cleared out some of my stuff, sold a few things I no longer needed, and made room for him to bring in his personal touches.

Both Dylan and Tommy had resumed their teaching positions at the kindergarten in Three Hills.

They both seemed content with their jobs.

I slipped my hands into the pockets of my jacket, but my heart skipped a beat when I couldn”t feel the ring there.

Panic bubbled up within me, and I quickly searched my other pockets.

”What”s wrong?” Marc asked, his brow furrowing as he noticed my distress.

I groaned inwardly. ”I forgot something important,” I admitted.

I had to make this right, but I needed some help.

Stepping to one side, I quickly sent a text to Piston, hoping that my friend would come through for me.

The four of us had planned this special dinner at the cabin, and I intended to propose to Dylan during dessert.

The atmosphere was perfect, the setting intimate, and the moment just felt right.

But all my planning would go to pieces if Piston didn”t see my message and didn”t arrive on time with the ring.

As we continued to the cabin, I couldn”t help but steal glances at my phone, anxiously awaiting a response from Piston.

As the cooking got underway, my anxiety only intensified.

Dylan and Tommy had insisted that Marc and I leave all the cooking to them. Marc and I promised we would handle the washing and cleaning afterward.

It seemed like an eternity, the minutes dragging on, but finally, my ears perked up at the sound of a motorcycle engine outside.

”Go,” Marc told me. ”I”m glad your friend came through for you.”

With a quick nod, I made my way to the front door.

As I swung open the door, I was taken aback by the sight of Nitro standing there, his motorcycle parked nearby.

”Piston was busy with some family stuff,” Nitro explained, ”so he sent me in his place.”

Relief washed over me, and I couldn”t help but smile.

”Do you have it?” I asked him.

”Of course,” Nitro replied, reaching into his pocket.

With a triumphant grin, he pulled out the engagement ring and handed it to me.

”Whizz, who”s at the door?” Dylan”s voice called out from the kitchen.

I had to think fast. Quickly, I concealed the ring and responded, ”It”s Nitro. He”s here on some MC business.”

The lie rolled off my tongue smoothly, and I hoped that Dylan wouldn”t sense anything amiss.

”If he”s not in a rush, invite him for dinner!” Dylan called back.

My gaze flicked to Nitro, who was grinning broadly, clearly amused by the situation.

I didn’t know him as well as Piston or the other bikers but he’d proven himself a reliable ally during several missions together.

I was about to say that Nitro had other commitments, but before I could respond, Nitro beat me to the punch, his voice carrying back to the kitchen.

”I”d be happy to stay!” he yelled.

Dinner was an interesting affair, thanks to Nitro.

He kept teasing and flirting with a shy but clearly interested Tommy, causing Marc to shoot him murderous glares every so often.

It was evident that Marc was protective of his brother, and he clearly didn”t believe that Tommy was ready to date again.

However, Marc needed to give Tommy a chance to make his own decisions, no matter how uneasy it made him.

As we moved on to dessert, I took over, serving everyone slices of pie a la mode.

The anticipation was palpable, and I couldn”t help but watch Dylan intently as he picked up his spoon and grabbed a scoop of ice cream.

”Oh,” Dylan complained, his brow furrowing in confusion. ”There”s something hard in my ice cream.”

”Go see what it is,” I told him.

Dylan raised an eyebrow at me but complied, fishing out a ring with a spoon. His gasp of surprise was music to my ears.

”Is this what I think it is?” Dylan asked, his eyes widening in realization.

I picked the ring from the table, quickly cleaning the ice cream off it. Then, I got down on one knee in front of him, holding the ring up for him to see.

”Dylan, will you do me the honor of being my husband?” I asked.

I rose to my feet, my heart hammering with uncertainty. Dylan hadn”t said a word, and the silence stretched on.

Doubts crept in, and I couldn”t help but wonder if I had made a mistake, if maybe Dylan didn”t want us to tie the knot.

The two of us were already officially mated, but I wanted him to be my spouse.

But then, as I was about to speak, Dylan stood up from his chair and stepped closer to me, wrapping his arms around me in a warm, tight hug.

”Yes, I”d like to marry you,” Dylan finally said. ”I love you so much, Whizz.”

A wave of emotion overcame me, and I held him even tighter.

“I love you, too,” I said.

I slid the ring onto his finger, sealing the promise we had just made. Then I kissed him, tender and sweet.

THE END