Page 106 of The Loves We Lost

“Safer than she is with you or me. He’d die for her.”

“Then I’ll try to relax.”

“And as a reminder, Catalina is a hit woman. An assassin who kidnapped Niro. That’s how they met. Anybody comes for Avery, they’d have to get through those two who work ruthlessly together.”

“Okay.” She lets out a long sigh. “And, oh my god, I’m so writing that into a book one day.”

“Avery is safer than anyone else in the world tonight. But no, you can’t write that into a book. Writing our story was one thing, babe. But you know you can’t write any of my brothers’ stories, right?”

“I know. Although I know my readers would inhale that like it’s crack.”

“Anything else on your mind before I take you inside, so we can make some more memories?”

She shakes her head, and I love the way the sun creates a halo behind her as she moves. I reach across and slip my hand around the back of her neck, tugging her to me.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Vi.” The words are murmured against her lips, and I feel them turn up in a smile.

But as soon as I step out of the truck, I feel a sense of ... not quite foreboding. Pressure, maybe. Because what I have in my overnight bag, I’ve been holding on to for a really long time.

There’s a nagging thought in my brain that she’s going to say no.

I grab our bags from the back and walk to the door, but before I even open it, I turn to face Vi. She’s not expecting my sudden stop and crashes straight into me, and when I catch her, she laughs, and I know I have to do it right now.

“Fuck,” I mutter as I crouch to open my bag.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Yes. No. Just ... Vi.” I stand with the cut in my hand, only this time what I’m asking means more. I’ve grown as a person. I know what the loss of Vi feels like. I feel the mantle of my role in the club. I grasp my own mortality in ways I didn’t think possible. I’m a brother, in the club and in the relationship I’ve found with Niro. I’m a father. One day I’ll be a husband. “I offered you everything I had once before, and you turned it down. Never thought I’d ask again. But this is the last time I’ll do it.”

She smiles at me. “Is this you being romantic?”

“Just laying down the terms. Vi, I want you in my life forever as my old lady. Always have. I want to be a dad to Avery and whoever else might follow. I want you on the back of my bike, in my bed, and by my side for the next hundred years.” I hold out the same cut I had made for her all those years ago. I had the patches updated. I was a prospect when we met. Wasn’t even supposed to give her a cut until we’d patched in.Mileshas been replaced withBates.

“Will you take it, Vi?”

“Yes. I’ll take it,” she says, sliding one arm through and then the other.

She strokes her hands down the leather, then looks up at me, a hint of nerves in her eyes. “How does it look?”

“Turn around slowly.”

When she does as I ask, I take it all in. My hearts stutters when I seeProperty of Bateson her back.Propertyhas never meant control. It means she’s mine to take care of. She’s mine to love and protect.

“Well?” she asks when she’s facing me again.

“You look fucking perfect, Vi. Now that you’ve put it on, I’m never going to let you take it off.”

“Showering might be impractical.”

“Funny girl. You know what I mean.”

“I do. I’m sorry I made you wait.”

“Maybe we both needed it.”

And as I say the words, I know they’re true.

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