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Just as he predicted, Hannah tore the paper off without even commenting on the wrapping. When she realized what was beneath the paper, she sat up, cradling the book in her hands as if it would fall apart—and it likely would if handled carelessly. But James and I knew she would treasure it like it deserved.

I’d known about the book for months. James asked me if he could give it to her as a gift when he learned she was studying classic literature. Even I couldn’t believe my eyes, so we knew Hannah would throw a complete fit over it.

As she took in the words on the cover, James reached over the back of the couch. His hand absently rubbed the back of my neck, but his eyes were glued to Hannah.

“Poems; Emily Dickinson,” Hannah read aloud, looking up in disbelief. Emily Dickinson was her favorite poet, and a large reason why she decided to major in literature.

“Open it,” I told her,myheart beginning to race.

“Boston, Roberts Brothers… 1890. This is anoriginal?”

“It is,” James confirmed. “Damn near impossible to get your hands on. Some day I’ll tell you how I did it.”

I already knew the full story. James had found it while he was rearranging his shelf one day. Turned out that he knew Emily’s cousin and he’d won the book in a bet.

According to him, Emily’s sister had beenpissedwhen she found out.

Hannah carefully handed the book to Kian and extracted herself from his arms, scrambling over to us. She grabbed James by the collar of his sweater and jerked him over the back of the couch into a crushing hug—even by supernatural standards. And with that, my heart… well, frankly I don’t know what the thing was doing, but it wasn’t functioning as it should, stammering and stuttering in my chest like it was about to short circuit.

The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

The credits rolled.

A new chapter began.

However you wanted to say it,thiswas where I belonged. James was right: I left my bachelor life behind when I moved to Salem, even though it took me over a year to realize it.

Kian handed the book over to James, and he and Hannah flipped through it, picking out poems and discussing their favorites.

I stood and rounded the couch, standing next to my vampire. My hand came out of its own volition and rubbed across his back, and the grin he flashed over his shoulder made my heart soar. With the image in front of me, I paused and waited for that annoying little voice to pop up. I waited for the doubt to creep in again. When it didn’t, I let out a sigh of relief. The curse was well and truly behind us—as was my own self-doubt.

My gaze slid to the Christmas Tree, where a small box waited with James’s name on it. Considering that he sacrificed his home to keep my family safe, a key to my place was the least I could do. It was the spare since I hadn’t had time to get a copy made, but it was more symbolic than anything else; James already came and went as he pleased. But suddenly, it didn’t seem like enough. A house wasn’t good enough. He deserved the world.

The room started to spin, and I didn’t realize I’d stumbled in place until James’s arm caught me.

“Ryder, are you okay?” Kian asked. His voice was warped, like my head was underwater.

But his question was enough to get Hannah’s attention, and I was vaguely aware of Carlos nudging my leg with his nose. I shook my head to clear it, and everything came back into focus. Especially James, who was looking at me in concern.

“Huh?” I said.

James frowned, pulling me close. “He asked if you were okay, and I’m wondering the same. You look like you’re about to pass out. What’s going on?”

I opened my mouth, floundering for words. I intended to say, “I love you.” Or maybe something about what he meant to me, or what that gift meant to Hannah. I should have grabbed the box under the tree for him, or maybe I should have told him how much it meant to me that he loved my daughter as much as he loved me.

My arm was wrapped around his waist, hand on the small of his back while my thumb brushed the skin through his sweater. I counted each stroke,one, two, three…hoping the bubble in my throat would go away. No, not a bubble.Words.I’d swallowed them down before, but this time, I let them spill.

Those two words hung in the living room. Hannah dropped her book into her lap, her hands covering her mouth. Every sound in the room seemed magnified. Hannah’s gasp. My heartbeat in my ears. My stomach churned. I couldn’t breathe.

James looked at me, eyes swirling that gorgeous red—a shade inked into my memory forever. They searched mine for any indication that I wanted to take my words back. Instead, I tightened my hold on him. It was the only thing keeping me upright in that moment.

“What did you say?” he finally gasped. When I didn’t speak, James cupped my cheeks in his hands, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Ryder, Ineedto hear you say it again. Please.”

I didn’t think I had it in me. Once seemed like enough, but everyone in the room was staring at me. So I took a deep breath and tried like hell to steel myself.

Nope, there was no steel to be found. My legs had turned to goo. But I did it.

“Marry me.”