My stomach unclenches, and my chest fills with hope.
“He’s staying,” I whisper.
Paulie’s assistant ducks to the ground to pick up the scattered papers. Viking steps around her, still looking at me, and there’s a question in his expression.
“I’m really staying, cupcake.”
And for the first time, I believe him.
I push my chair out from the table so hard it tips backwards.
Viking strides around the table, and I move toward him on shaky legs. Tears sting my eyes, and I blink them away as he meets me in the middle.
“I will not leave you again, Sydney. Ever. And if this is what I have to do to prove it to you, then I will.”
He takes a small box out of his pocket as he slides down on one knee.
I gasp, and my hands cover my mouth.
“I walked away from you once, and I’ll never do that again. I want you by my side always. Sydney, will you marry me?”
He opens the box to reveal a simple gold band with an emerald set in the middle. My birthstone and the same color as my eyes. It’s perfect.
The last of the hurt dissolves, and my heart dares to hope. All the heartache, the lonely nights, the shattered dreams don’t matter. In the ring I see a new hope, a real commitment. Safety and security with the man I love.
“Yes,” I gasp. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
The room erupts into whoops as I fling myself into Viking’s arms. He staggers under my weight, and we almost topple to the floor before he catches me and pulls me up with him.
Tears stream from my eyes, but they’re happy tears.
Our lips collide, and heat jumps through my body. Our hips bump together and it’s electric, making me push my bodyagainst his, wanting more. The whoops turn to catcalls, and we break apart as I remember we’re in a room full of bikers and kids.
Nate is the first to congratulate us. He pulls me into a hug and then Viking. But I hear him mutter in his ear, “You hurt her again and I’ll gut you.”
Viking chuckles. “No chance of that, brother. I’m here for good.”
Nate nods, and his expression softens. “Come for dinner tomorrow. Get to know your nieces.”
The entire club streams past us to offer their congratulations.
Paulie is the last, and he shakes Viking’s hand ruefully. “I don’t understand it.”
“You will when you meet the right person,” Viking says.
“I’m married to the job. I get to travel. I have a nice flat, secure investments.” Paulie shakes his head like he can’t understand why anyone would choose anything else.
I see the life Viking could have had. Job security and adventure, but instead he chose love. He chose me. I squeeze his hand a little tighter.
Viking slaps Paulie on the back.
“Try Hope for recruits. There’s a SEAL team cooling their heels.”
Paulie cocks his head. “Oh yeah, what happened?”
“A mission went bad. The details are classified, but I heard one man lost his life and another lost his speech.”
We were all devastated to hear about the damaged ex-SEALs on the other side of the mountain. The club went to pay their respects at the funeral of the man who didn’t make it home.
