A smile curls at the corner of his mouth, not soft, but fierce. Possessive. “Good.”
“Good?”
“Yes, good.” His hand slides to the back of my neck, warm and secure. “Because I love you too. I have since I first saw you at that ridiculous auction. You’re mine, Rayne. You’ve always been mine.”
The declaration hits like a physical force. Not a gentle admission, but a claim staked. An unshakable certainty.
“I love you,” I whisper again, because now that I’ve said it, I can’t stop. It’s like the words were trapped inside me for so long, and now they’re free.
“I love you, sweetheart.” He presses his forehead against mine. “And I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
Below us, the earth curves away, cities twinkling like fallen stars. Above us, the endless sky. And here, suspended between the two, is a moment that feels both terrifying and exhilarating, like falling and flying at the same time.
But mostly, it feels like flying.
EPILOGUE
Ronan
Ihave to remind myself I’m at the beach with the woman I love, not about to fight someone. The way my palms are sweating and my heart pounds in my chest, you’d think I’m about to do something dangerous.
But no.
For the first time in thirty-six years, my hands aren’t steady.
“I still can’t believe you own an entire island.” Rayne gestures to the expanse of pristine beach stretching before us, palm trees swaying against the darkening sky. “Normal people have vacation homes. You have a small country.”
I raise an eyebrow. “It’s hardly a country.”
“It has its own dock, helipad, and staff quarters.”
“A modest setup.”
She laughs, the sound mixing with crashing waves. “There’s nothing modest about you, Ronan Ward.”
The ring box burns in my pocket—platinum band, three-carat oval diamond with smaller stones flanking it. Classic, timeless. Like her. I had to conspire with her mom to make sure it would fit her perfectly.
“You love it,” I say, keeping my voice even despite the thunder in my chest.
“I do.” Her smile softens as she looks out at the horizon. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
I don’t tell her I’d buy her a hundred islands if she asked. Instead, I watch her take everything in—the way her eyes widen at small wonders, how she trails her fingers across every surface like she’s making sure it’s real. Three weeks since she told me she loved me on my jet, and I still catch her looking at me like she can’t believe this is her life.
Tonight, I’m asking her to make it permanent.
“How’s Ryan doing with his new tutor?” she asks, bending to collect a shell.
“Thriving. His reading scores jumped two grade levels in a month.”
“That’s amazing.” Pride colors her voice, as if Ryan were her own. The way she’s stepped into his life, filled spaces I didn’t know were empty—it still knocks the wind from me sometimes.
“He asked when we’re coming home yesterday.”
She turns, surprise flashing across her features. “He did?”
“Said he has an art project he wants to show you. Something about dinosaurs and spaceships.”
“The classic combination.” Her smile turns wistful. “I miss him.”
