Page 133 of Massacre Monday

“Get in, and I’ll tell you.”

Wary eyes greet me before she buckles up. “Are you going to drive like a maniac again?”

“I never drive like a maniac,” I lie, smirking as she grips the door handle before I start the engine. I’m definitely driving like a maniac.

“Dad got me a position within the company that gives me a lot of freedom. Sports Management division, actually. And, uh, I’ll be in charge of your brother.”

She bursts out with a loud laugh. “What? Oh my god. This is amazing! Though I bet Adal’s going tolovethat. Promise me you won’t treat himtoobad.”

I merge onto the main road. “Ofcoursenot.” I’m definitely going to treat him badly.

Having power over Adal ensures he won’t share the video of me and Pippi with Max. That could ruin the friendship her father and I have, and the trust he has for me with his daughter. UnlessI get that ring on her finger soon, then they can’t say shit about it.

Silence settles between us for another mile, so I grab her hand. “You know I’m going to marry you, right?”

Her eyes crawl up my arm to find my face in the evening light. “Yes. You said you wanted to.”

“I do. It must seem like I’m hesitating because I haven’t asked yet, but I’m just…waiting for the perfect moment. And to make sure that’s whatyouwant.”

“You mean, do Iwantto be married to you when I’ve wanted to rely on myself?”

“That’s exactly what I’m asking, Pen.”

A slow smile crosses her lips. “Yes. And I’ll tell you why, Ryan Xavier Cardell. Because I trust you won’t make me into someone I’m not.”

My heart squeezes. “Why thefuckwould I ever want that? I loveyou. Do whatever you want. I told you I’d follow you wherever you want to go.”

She’s quiet for so long that I steal a glance at her unreadable expression. “Okay?” I ask.

“What if I wanted to stay here more?”

I blink. That’s not what I expected her to say. “You want that?”

Her chest rises as she takes a considerable breath. “I think I finally know what I want to do.”

Smiling, I say, “And what is that?”

“I want to be a lawyer. Not just any, though. I want to figure out how to stop the society from forcing men like you to do things they don’t want.” The electric green lights from the dash catch her eyes, turning them feral. “I want to take them down.”

Instantly, I’m rock hard.

Pressing the back of her hand to my lips, I focus on the curves ahead. “This is why you’re my perfect P.I.C.”

She leans back and cranks up the stereo. A song floods the cab, one leading us toward an uncertain future. But one question lingers in my mind. “Can we still go to the beach on weekends?”

“We can go as much as I can get away from classes, yeah. Maybe even distance learning in the RV. Whatever it takes.”

“We’ll have to get a bigger one. For the six kids…”

With a giggle, she slides her hand out of mine and slaps my chest, but still nuzzles her shoulder close to mine.

As I envision what life will be like soon, I can feel it.

The world we know is dying. What comes next isn’t promised.

And when the battles end, we’ll have to choose?—

Bury the ashes…