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The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. All I need is him. He has made me feel more cherished, loved, and protected in these few short weeks than anyone ever has. He is the family I choose. I melt into his embrace and let the tears flow. A warmth radiates in my chest as he cuddles me, whispering sweet reassurances into my ear.
Maybe I don’t need anyone else. Maybe Keller and Maddie are meant to be my family.
After a few minutes, my tears subside. I bring my face to Keller’s and place a soft kiss on his lips.
“Thank you, I’ve spent so many years putting on a brave face, thinking I’m the problem when it’s her. I don’t want to ever be like her. I want to be happy, and you make me so happy, Keller.”
A grin spreads across his face.
“Oh baby, you bring light into my life. Before you, there was literally only darkness. I’ve never had any family, so I don’t know what you’re going through. But don’t ever forget that you have me, Princess.”
“Tell me what your childhood was like?” I ask and he tenses against me.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I’d just like to understand.” I quickly add. He sighs and rests his chin on the top of my head, nestling me tighter into him.
“I can’t lie to you. It was tough, especially the time before I met Luca. I was lost. I was angry. Angry with my birth parents, angry with the world and with myself that I couldn’t find a way to make a family love me enough to keep me. That’s where I got into street fighting. It was the only thing that made me feel alive, and I was fucking good at it. By the time I was fourteen, I was going out of my way to fight. I wanted the pain to make me feel something. ”
He takes in a deep breath as if just remembering his past physically hurts him.
“That’s when I met Luca, a kid so similar to me we had an instant bond. We looked out for each other and unleashed hell in the underground boxing scene. No one wanted us, so we spent most of our nights in abandoned units after running away from our foster homes, stealing what we could to survive. Then finally, Mrs. Russo came into our lives and knocked us into shape. I mean, she was too late to save me from my demons, but she kept me alive. If it weren’t for her and Luca, I would never have gone pro.”
“Oh, Keller,” I sigh, stroking his face with my hand. I can see he’s fighting to hold back the tears.
“I wish life could have been kinder to you. No kid deserves to go through that. You turned it around. I am so proud of you. I mean, look at everything you’ve achieved, Champ. It’s incredible. You are incredible.”
He gives me a sad smile, almost like he doesn’t believe how amazing I truly think he is. I take his face in both of my hands and kiss his nose.
“I mean every word, Keller. There may be darkness, but there is always light. One day, I’ll prove it to you. Maybe we were destined to find one another, to heal our pasts and create something great.”
“I don’t doubt that Baby. Me and you, we’re inevitable.”
CHAPTER21
KELLER
I’ve led a far from normal life. As I pack Sienna’s final box of belongings into my 4x4, I pause to watch her jog down the last flight of stairs, her messy bun wobbling on the top of her head. I have to admit this is the most normal I’ve ever felt in my life.
The thought of coming home to her every day and snuggling her to sleep makes my chest feel weird; like warm and fuzzy. It’s a completely alien feeling, but I can’t lie, I fucking love it. If that makes me a total pussy, then so be it.
Her smile is infectious. It makes me want to do everything I possibly can to keep it there. I love it. Shit. I love her.
Love. Hell, I don’t know what love feels like. I’d bet all the money I have that this is it. Why else would the thought of her leaving me make me want to puke my guts up?
As I sit here staring out the windscreen, I can’t believe I asked her to marry me. She thought I was joking. I wasn’t. If I can find a way to make her mine for eternity, it’s fucking happening. The pure panic that ran through me when I couldn’t find her after the fight just solidified everything for me.
As soon as I’d finished congratulating Luke, I made my way back to Sienna, only to find an empty seat. I frantically tried calling her over and over but her phone went straight to voicemail. My heart pounding, I race over to Grayson, panic taking hold.
“Fuck, have you seen Sienna and Maddie? They’ve fucking gone?” I shout, catching the attention of the rest of the team, all now staring at me like I’m crazy.
What if Jamie’s hurt her? I’m starting to think the worst.
Grayson grabs my shoulders, shaking me back to reality.
“Dammit Keller, calm the fuck down. I’ll text Maddie.”
Pure fear now takes over, pure desperation to get her home, to get her back to me.
“Look. She’s fine. They’re on their way home,” he says matter of factly as he shoves the phone in my face, showing me Maddie’s message.
