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MADISON

I open my eyes, the bright sunlight streaming into the room making me blink rapidly. As I move my hand to shield my eyes, a glittering diamond on my left hand causes me to pause before I shoot straight up in bed.

Jagger slides up to a sitting position beside me, his back resting against the headboard. He chuckles as I stare at the ring adorning my finger.

“Jagger,” my voice barely conceals my anger. “This is not how it’s going to happen.”

His face darkens and he scowls at me. “You’re going to say yes anyway. Why—”

I grip his chin, cutting him off. My eyes soften as I stare into his, seeing his nervousness. “I’m not making you do it in front of anyone else.” My hand lifts, pushing the hair from his forehead. “I just want you to propose to me.”

He catches my hand, kissing it. Heaving out an exaggerated sigh, he slips out of bed, wearing gray sweatpants.

Freaking manipulative bastard. He knows what he’s doing. He had this all planned out.

Still, I can’t help the excitement that flows through me as he drops to one knee beside our bed. Lifting the covers, I sit up, his eyes heating as he takes in my naked body. He frowns as he looks at the scar on my chest before his gaze lifts to mine.

Exhaling a breath, he grabs my hand, sliding the ring from my finger, before he begins. “Madison Rose. I first saw you when I was nine years old, and you captivated me. The day we spent in the park was the best childhood memory I possessed. From that moment on, you were all I could think of.” He swallows hard.

“Fifteen years would pass before we’d see one another again. Even though I didn’t have the best intentions when I first laid eyes on you, I couldn’t deny you captivated me yet again. You were all I could see, blocking out everything in my world.” He gives me a small smile. “While I was stalking you, learning everything I could about you, I was deluding myself. I craved you in a way I’ve never wanted anyone or anything else.” Jagger swallows hard. “I thought I wanted vengeance. But what I really wanted was you .”

A sob escapes me. I press a hand to my trembling lips, waving with my other for him to continue.

“You became far more important than my revenge ever was. You gave me everything I didn’t know I needed. The only thing I secretly desired but was too afraid of. The thing I didn’t think I was worthy of. Your love .”

Tears run down my cheeks as I gaze into his shining eyes, my heart overflowing with love.

“I nearly lost you. And I don’t ever want to risk that again.” He pulls my hand to his lips, closing his eyes as he kisses it. When he opens them, his voice is deep and low. “Please, do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me. I promise, I’ll always put you first and will do anything to make you happy.” He shifts, the diamond poised over the ring finger of my left hand. “Marry me.”

My lips and chin quiver as I nod. “Hell yes. There’s nothing I want more than to spend my life with you.”

“Whoop!” He slides the ring on my finger, then grabs me, swinging me around in dizzying circles as I laugh harder than I ever have.

“Whoop?” I finally ask when he stops spinning me.

He shrugs. “Well yeah. Isn’t that what you say when you’re excited?”

I laugh. “That’s what some people say. But you’re Jagger.”

“Well, Jagger just said ‘Whoop,’ because I’m fucking ecstatic.”

“Now that last line sounds like the Jagger I know and love.” Then I press my lips to his for a searing kiss.

When I finally pull away, we are both breathing heavily. “I love you, Jagger. Thank you for proposing to me.”

His dimple pops as he winks. “You knew I was going to. I’d do anything for you.”

I know that. But I needed the proposal. Just as I need to experience every moment with him. I was given a second chance, so I don’t intend to waste a single minute of it. Not after nearly losing my life and coming so close to never experiencing us .