“We’re not even married yet!”
“Exactly. I’m getting ahead of it.”
The yard erupts laughing again. Blaze pulls her closer by the waist. “Too late, Princess. You’re stuck with me.”
Bella smiles up at him, completely gone for him despite the dramatics. “Good,” she whispers.
Then it’s us.
The noise fades again.
Olivia stops in front of me. Close enough to touch. Close enough to breathe her in. I stare at her because I can’t stop. She smiles softly. “You okay?”
“No.” That makes her laugh quietly. I shake my head once. “Angel…” Emotion clogs my throat unexpectedly hard. This is worse than violence. This is exposure. I look at her dress. Her face. The certainty in her eyes. “This is fast.” Not because I don’t want it. Because she deserves more than a life built in chaos and blood and rushed promises.
She steps closer immediately like she understands exactly what I mean. Not fear. Never fear. Her hands slide into mine. “Cobra.”
I swallow hard. “You sure?” There it is. The real thing. The vulnerability I’d rather survive another warehouse shootout than expose.
She doesn’t hesitate. “I’ve never been more sure.” Something inside me goes completely still. Twisted looks between us once, then nods for her to continue.
Olivia takes a breath. “When I first saw you,” she says quietly, “I didn’t understand what I was feeling. I just knew something in me recognized something in you.” I can’t look away from her. “You scared me,” she admits, smiling slightly. “But somehow you also made me feel safer than anyone ever had.” Emotion presses hard against my ribs. “You found me at my worst,” she continues. “You held me together when I thought I’d break. You never asked me to be less. Never asked me to survive quietly. You loved me exactly as I was.”
Her voice trembles slightly now. “I stayed because I chose you. Not because I was trapped. Not because I needed saving. Because somewhere along the way, you became home to me.”
Fuck.
My chest feels too tight.
“I love every part of you,” she whispers. “Even the dangerous ones. Especially the honest ones. And no matter what comes next, I’ll never regret staying.” Silence settles around us. Not empty. Full.
Twisted looks at me.
My turn.
I stare at Olivia for a long second before speaking. I don’t know how to do pretty speeches. She knows that.
So I give her truth. “You’re the only peace I’ve ever had.” Her breath catches. “I didn’t think men like me got this.” I glance around once. “Family. Home. Any of it.” My hand tightens around hers. “But then you walked into my life and suddenly every fucking thing changed.” Her eyes shine immediately. “I’ll protect you until my last breath,” I say. “I’ll love you exactly the way you deserve. And there is nowhere on this earth you could go that I wouldn’t follow.” Her face crumples softly with emotion. “You’re mine,” I tell her roughly. “And I’m yours. Permanently.”
Twisted clears his throat suspiciously hard beside us. “Good enough,” he mutters.
The yard erupts. Cheers. Whistles. Laughter. The women look unbearably smug. The men still look stunned.
Joker points at Raven. “You people coordinated dresses.”
“Obviously.”
“That’s terrifying.”
“You’ll live.”
Blaze grabs Bella around the waist. “I need everyone to know I was emotionally manipulated.”
Bella kisses him. “Correct.”
Music starts somewhere near the patio. Kids run screaming through the yard again. Food appears. Someone hands Logan a beer while Mac immediately starts bossing him around about his knee again. Carter dances with Brooke in the grass while Dom holds Remy and stares at Kya like he still can’t believe she’s real. Shadow stands slightly apart with Shaina tucked against him like he built his entire life around protecting that exact space. Joker actually smiles. A real one.
I sit at one of the picnic tables later with Olivia in my lap, her head against my chest while the party swirls around us.
