Page 95 of His Atonement

"One I have a feeling I'll regret giving you by the time we go home."

"Bah. Nonsense."

She tilts her head back, rests her chin on my chest and simply arches a brow.

I chuckle. "Perhaps you shall regret it by the time this night is through, but I have a surprise for you as well, one waiting for us at home that will hopefully make up for it."

"Oh really?" Frankie gives me an absolutely breathtaking smile. "I thought we agreed on no gifts?"

I roll my eyes. "If you can break the rules of our games, then I can as well."

"Which reminds me.” She straightens, grabs my left hand then moves to pull my ring off but I resist. "I'll put it right back, I just want to show you something."

I arch a brow but nod.

Apparently my mate is full of surprises tonight.

"I had them engraved.” Frankie removes my ring and shows me the inside part of the band. "They both say the same. Part of it was originally there from when my parents got married, then I added the rest in the same font."

Emotion clogs my throat as I read the tiny words, my heart simultaneously swelling and breaking in my chest.

Greatest of all time. Game over, we win. ILYF. Z+F 10.01?

"It was a tight fit in both rings but my parents already had the greatest of all time part in there and I thought it was fitting for us."

I nod, kiss her lips, and pull her to me as a tear rolls down my cheek.

It is a most beautiful, most meaningful gesture and though it moves me deeply, it is also a reminder that the game is in fact almost over and neither of us will truly win because, though I will love her forever, it will be from afar.

Our forever isn't nearly long enough and that fact breaks my fucking heart.

Safe Words

"Jesus, baby, at least let me take off my heels.” I giggle as Zan practically drags me through the yard and up the front steps of our cabin. "If I break my ankle trying to get inside it'll definitely ruin your surprise."

"The heels stay on.” He grins at me over his shoulder then throws open our front door, scoops me up into his arms, and carries me inside. "From here on out you have control, but the fucking heels stay on."

I laugh even harder as Zan twirls us in a circle before steadying me on my feet. "You're adorably ridiculous right now, you know that?"

"You love it."

"I do.” I sigh, then dig through my clutch for my last pre-rolled joint. "I love adorable and ridiculous kinda drunk Zan just as much as I love you any other time."

He flashes me a wicked smile as he unbuttons his vest—something he makes so fucking sexy I can barely stand it—and while I smoke my good weed and watch him do an impromptu striptease, my heart clenches right along with my pussy.

Today was perfect.

So fucking perfect I couldn't have planned it any better than we did, right down to Thor’s sleepover with Samson.

The ceremony was beautiful, the food was great, we had so much fun dancing and singing late into the night with our family. It totally helps that Zan and I were able to sneak off periodically for all kinds of sexcapades too, especially since he wouldn't give me back that damn remote.

I didn't think I had enough time left to fall so deeply in love and definitely wasn't expecting to get married before that time was up, but being able to do both, to fall in love with Zan, mate him and marry him during the last few months of my life have made every single horrible minute worth living thousands of times.

Especially because my symptoms have, in fact, progressed just like I thought they would.

Thankfully they held off today, between the pot and the booze, probably the adrenaline and endorphins too, I was able to keep my symptoms at bay so nothing ruined our day.

The last two weeks have been a different story though.