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I look down as Luca opens the ring box, showing me a big, glittering diamond set within a sophisticated setting and an elegant white-gold band.
“Yes,” I try to say again, but the sobs keep choking me up.
“Ruby Fitzgerald…” He clears his throat, fighting off a sob of his own. “Make me the happiest man alive. Marry me.”
The third time’s the charm. Focusing hard, I push the words past my bubbling happiness. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He slips the ring onto my finger, the metal kissing me coolly, promising so much happiness in the future. When he sweeps me into his arms, I collapse in happy tears, sobs of pure joy escaping me.
“Are you sure you want to kiss me with all these tears?”
He laughs and spins me around, leaning down and claiming my lips with his. We fuse in a configuration of heat, belonging, and love.
“Are those letters floating?” I ask, nodding up at the silver, glittering letters.
He tickles my side, looking almost boyish with the happiness lighting up his face, a far cry from the shrouded-in-darkness mafia prince I first saw in the gym.
“Small wires are holding them up, but let’s pretend they’re floating, Ruby.”
“Like us,” I say, hugging tightly to him.
“Exactly. Like us… floating into the future.”
“Together.”
EPILOGUE
ONE WEEK LATER
Luca
I’ve just got a couple more rounds, I type, kneeling at the side of the ring next to the round timer. Then I’ll come pick you up.
She replies almost right away, making me smile like a wild man. I never knew happiness like this existed. I never knew a woman or anybody could bring so much light into my life. I can’t connect to the man I was before my Ruby came along, can’t connect to the partying days, the depressed days. Life is just too damn sweet now.
I’ve got a feeling you might see me before that.
I love it when you get all mysterious on me, Ruby.
Just call me Adelaide…
I smirk. I think that reference is too random for me.
Adelaide Herrmann. She was a famous magician, but you’re right. I’m getting way too esoteric, but something magical has happened.
Before I can reply, the timer starts. I stand up to find Colt looking at me coldly. Behind him, Shadow watches with the same icy intensity in his eyes. I haven’t talked to Colt about Lexi since the phone call before the party, but ever since then, he’s seemed even more intense. That’s saying a lot.
Still, he doesn’t escalate the sparring. It’s a technical session, and he takes it at the correct pace, but there’s no banter, no jokes. It makes me realize I was wrong before when I thought Colt was clouded in darkness. There was the occasional smirk, the funny comment. Now, he’s like a man possessed by some dark demon.
Whenever I land a punch on him, he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t make a noise. He just stares at me.
When the timer goes off, I say, “You good, Colt?”
“Hmm,” he grunts.
“We can take it a little harder next round if you want.”
“I do want that,” he says coldly. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea. I might get carried away.”
“You think I’m scared of you?” I say, grinning, meaning for it to sound joking.
“No, Luca,” he replies, “but I’m scared of myself.”
Jeez.
We go another round, and then, without any small talk, Colt clicks his tongue and heads for the exit. Shadow trails after him.
“See you soon, Colt, old buddy, old pal,” I call after him. Then, under my breath, I mutter, “Douchebag.”
Yet I can’t hold a grudge when I see my woman running into the gym. Right away, I know something is different. I rush over to her, taking a moment to savor the flush in her cheeks. She’s wearing a dress that outlines her curvaceous form, making me breathe hard as I pull her into a hug.
“I take it you aced the essay?” I say.
“What? I mean, yeah. I did pretty good, but this isn’t about that.”
I wait for her to go on. She leans back in my embrace, beaming up at me. “I’m pregnant.”
I smile and then wipe the smile away. I want to cheer. “You’re smiling,” I whisper, not daring to let myself hope. “I thought you said?—”
“I know what I said,” she cuts in, “but I was so happy the second I saw the test, Luca. I knew I had it all wrong before. This is good news. Great news!”
Finally, I let out a cheer, sweeping her into my arms and spinning her around and around, the happiest I’ve ever been. Since Ruby came into my life, that’s a big statement.
“I love you so much,” I say, finally putting her down.
She beams up at me. “I’m all dizzy now.”
I grin and motion my hand to brush her hair from her face, an old habit. Then I let my hand drop. She doesn’t hide behind her hair anymore.
