Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27995 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27995 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I’m trembling now, the champagne glass wobbling dangerously in my hand. Ronan takes it from me, setting it aside.
“So you love me?” His voice is low, almost smug, with that hint of command that makes my insides turn to liquid.
I freeze, the words I just blurted out catching up to me. Did I just—? Did I say—?
“I—” The words stick in my throat. “What?”
He moves to the seat beside me, the leather creaking under his weight. His hand cups my jaw, tilting my face toward his. “Say it again, Rayne.”
His eyes are dark, demanding. There’s no escape, not thirty thousand feet in the air, not from this man who sees through every defense I’ve built.
“I love you.” The confession tears out of me, raw and honest. “I love you, and it terrifies me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never needed anyone before. I’ve always handled everything myself. But you … you make me want things I never thought I could have.”
A smile curls at the corner of his mouth, not soft, but fierce. Possessive. “Good.”
“Good?”
“Yes, good.” His hand slides to the back of my neck, warm and secure. “Because I love you too. I have since I first saw you at that ridiculous auction. You’re mine, Rayne. You’ve always been mine.”
The declaration hits like a physical force. Not a gentle admission, but a claim staked. An unshakable certainty.
“I love you,” I whisper again, because now that I’ve said it, I can’t stop. It’s like the words were trapped inside me for so long, and now they’re free.
“I love you, sweetheart.” He presses his forehead against mine. “And I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
Below us, the earth curves away, cities twinkling like fallen stars. Above us, the endless sky. And here, suspended between the two, is a moment that feels both terrifying and exhilarating, like falling and flying at the same time.
But mostly, it feels like flying.
EPILOGUE
Ronan
Ihave to remind myself I’m at the beach with the woman I love, not about to fight someone. The way my palms are sweating and my heart pounds in my chest, you’d think I’m about to do something dangerous.
But no.
For the first time in thirty-six years, my hands aren’t steady.
“I still can’t believe you own an entire island.” Rayne gestures to the expanse of pristine beach stretching before us, palm trees swaying against the darkening sky. “Normal people have vacation homes. You have a small country.”
I raise an eyebrow. “It’s hardly a country.”
“It has its own dock, helipad, and staff quarters.”
“A modest setup.”
She laughs, the sound mixing with crashing waves. “There’s nothing modest about you, Ronan Ward.”
The ring box burns in my pocket—platinum band, three-carat oval diamond with smaller stones flanking it. Classic, timeless. Like her. I had to conspire with her mom to make sure it would fit her perfectly.
“You love it,” I say, keeping my voice even despite the thunder in my chest.
“I do.” Her smile softens as she looks out at the horizon. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
I don’t tell her I’d buy her a hundred islands if she asked. Instead, I watch her take everything in—the way her eyes widen at small wonders, how she trails her fingers across every surface like she’s making sure it’s real. Three weeks since she told me she loved me on my jet, and I still catch her looking at me like she can’t believe this is her life.
Tonight, I’m asking her to make it permanent.
“How’s Ryan doing with his new tutor?” she asks, bending to collect a shell.
“Thriving. His reading scores jumped two grade levels in a month.”
“That’s amazing.” Pride colors her voice, as if Ryan were her own. The way she’s stepped into his life, filled spaces I didn’t know were empty—it still knocks the wind from me sometimes.
“He asked when we’re coming home yesterday.”
She turns, surprise flashing across her features. “He did?”
“Said he has an art project he wants to show you. Something about dinosaurs and spaceships.”
“The classic combination.” Her smile turns wistful. “I miss him.”
“We’ll be home in three days.”
She nods, studying the shell in her palm. “I know. It’s just ... it’s strange how quickly he became part of my life. How quickly both of you did.”
My pulse quickens. “Strange good or strange bad?”
“Good. Definitely good.” She looks up at me. “Sometimes I worry I’ll wake up and all this will be gone.”
I catch her hand, enveloping it in mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
I stop walking, turning to face her fully. We’ve reached the spot I had prepared earlier—a semi-circle of lanterns casting golden light across the sand, rose petals scattered near a small bonfire that flickers and dances in the evening breeze. A blanket waits nearby, champagne chilling.
Her eyes widen. “What’s all this?”
“Sit with me,” I say, leading her toward the fire.
She follows, confusion evident in the slight furrow between her brows. “Ronan, what are you—”