AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks for being so nice to her, man,”imaginary Ryan says.“Thanks for taking care of her.”
Silently, I reply that I always will, and soon, I’ll tell him in person.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Kayla
We ride across Nebraska together, the yellow prairies stretching around us, reminding me of the first time we came here. It’s been two weeks since the road trip, since the war, and since Ryan gave us his blessing.
That’s two weeks of Kai and me being together openly, without Ryan, the club, or anybody judging. It’s been the brightest two weeks of my life, waking in my man’s arms, sometimes in the morning so we can start the day together. Or in the middle of the night, when I can listen to his heartbeat.
The war’s over. We won. The town is returning to normal—the Titans watching over, keeping the peace, and nobody more than my Kai.
Ryan is slowly getting better. He’s walking with a cane now. The injury is healing, and there’s no sign of infection. Every time he sees me and Kai together, he smiles. The other day, I heard him and Kai talking in the kitchen. I wasn’t eavesdropping, exactly. All the doors were open, and I was upstairs. Anyway, it’s stuff Ryan has said to me before.
“It was weird at first, seeing you kiss her, but the weirdest part, Kai, is hownot weirdit seems. I look at you, and I see two people in love. I see a couple. Nobody would question that you belong together. That’s the part that freaks me out.”
“Hownotfreaky it is?” Kai said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
He’s been smiling far more than he used to ever since he had his talk with Ryan.
Now, we’re returning from Illinois. Parting with Dad’s watch was painful, but I know why Ryan wanted to do it. The Emily Dickinson book is worth a lot of money, enough to make a real contribution to our family. Kai wanted to go sooner, but I said I had to stay behind until Ryan was healthier.
Kai comes to a slow stop at the side of the road.
“Why have we stopped?” I ask as butterflies dance in my belly.
After our first time, he hinted about a proposal. I’m almost certain that’s what he was talking about. Since then, he’s given no sign that was it, and I haven’t pushed him. It’s been simply enough being together, but now, those feelings return, flurrying through me.
We step off the bike. Kai removes his helmet, his messy hair bobbing around his head. He’s been working out a lot lately, sometimes after we have sex. He does naked pushups as I watch him. It’s making him fill out his leather jacket even more, everything bulging, swelling.
I take off my helmet and toss my hair out.
“K-Kai?”
“I think this is the exact spot,” he says, a warm smile on his lips.
I’m already close to tears. Please, let me be right.
“I think it might be.”
“The place we told each other,” he says passionately. “The place we learned, hell, we’re both crazy.”
“You’re damn right we are,” I say, smiling widely, my cheeks aching with all the love bursting out.
“Here,” he says. I almost scream when he reaches into his pocket, expecting the ring box, but it’s a small package. “Open it.”
I peel away the brown paper. My heart shudders. It’s Dad’s pocket watch.
“But I’ve got the book in my bag,” I whisper. “I thought we traded.”
“I paid for the book. You’re my lady, and you deserve to have something to remember your dad by. I’ve been living cheap for years. I own that old house. I’ve got money saved. I’ll take care of you and support you in whatever you choose. I love you, Kay.”
The pocket watchtick, tick, tickslike a heartbeat, and I wonder if I’ve heard him correctly.
“I love you so much,” he continues, and I know I’m hearing him right. “I wanted to wait until today.Theday. You were such a good little sister, waiting for Ryan to get better.”
“I love you too,” I say, moving closer to him.
