EPILOGUE
MARSHALL
Four months later
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I clear my voice and tap my glass. It’s useless.
“Oi! Shut the hell up.”
The room goes quiet. Eventually. Trying to silence a room full of SEALs, Marines, Army Rangers, et al., is not an easy thing.
Trina leans into my side.
“A toast to the birthday girl,” I say, lifting my glass and everyone shuffles around and grabs their drinks.
“Aww,” Trina says.
She’s a mushy romantic these days. Well, not always. She still calls me her toy soldier and sasses at me. But I love it.
I love her.
We moved in together six weeks after I told her I loved her. To be honest we were living together almost from that moment on. I think we only spent three days apart.
Ryder put me on a boring corporate private security gig, and I couldn’t be happier.
Fine, I’m a little bored as fuck, but coming home to see my girl happy is worth it.
When she met my mom and dad it was one of the happiest days of my life. She shared what happened with her dad, and my mom hugged her, telling her she completely understood what she’d been through.
She’s watching Trina now with adoration in her eyes. They love her as much as I do, I swear it. They wouldn’t have flown in for her birthday if they didn’t. Liam, my brother, couldn’t make it, but he’ll be at the next event. I’ll make sure of it.
Trina’s mom and my parents are in on tonight’s surprise.
I met her mom also and it was emotional. She hasn’t moved on, but says she’s trying. That’s her journey. My focus is her daughter. She’s the one I love and care for. Never do I forget that. But I rang Mrs. Thomas a month ago to ask an important question. Without Trina’s dad around, I had to ask someone for her hand.
“To the most beautiful woman in the world,” I start.
“One of.” Aidan smirks and kisses Briar.
I roll my eyes and glance down at Trina who is grinning like she won the lottery.
Well, she has me, so yeah.
“Who uses ten times the amount of bodywash required and thinks eggs should be kept in the pantry. So wrong.”
“They boil faster.” She shakes her head at me, then we both grin.
Love makes you stupid.
“Happy twenty-eighth birthday, baby.” I lift my glass and everyone drinks.
I’m enjoying dragging this out. I’m almost certain Trina knows that I’m about to propose.
Her eyes dull a little as she sips and glances around the room.
She fucking knows.
I am enjoying this way too much.
While I want to make her my wife, hearing her say those three words were the magic moment for me.
Liar. You think I love you already.
I knew she did. Call it intuition. A man just knows when a woman falls in love with him. The eyes don’t lie.
One morning, a few weeks after we got together, Trina woke up at some ungodly hour and climbed on top of me. She shook me awake.
“What? Fuck.” I reached for my gun.
“Stop.” Trina slapped me. “I have to tell you something.”
“Now?” I groaned and fell back on the pillow.
“Fine, I won’t.” She grumbled and went to climb off me. But I liked her on my cock, so grabbed her, keeping her right where she was.
“Speak,” I said and ran my hands over her soft curves.
“Don’t make this sexy.” She slapped me.
“Baby, I need sleep. What’s wrong?” I’d had a long day the one before and was already drifting off. Even with her sitting on my cock, so that says something.
She sunk down onto the bed beside me and snuggled as I wrapped her in my arms. Both of us were facing one another.
“I just wanted to tell you that I love you.”
Fuck me.
My eyes few open wide, and let’s just say, my cock got what he wanted. I sunk so deep inside my girl after kissing her face off, I wasn’t sure I’d find my way out.
Everyone starts singing “Happy Birthday” while Briar, Alice, Cassy, Savannah, and Scarlet do some weird little jig.
I’d say it was a drunken dance—probably a TikTok trend—but Savannah isn’t drinking. Her and Ryder announced they were pregnant a few months ago. And Briar is having twins anytime soon.
Plus...well, that’s not my story to tell.
I focus back on my plans. Trina’s mom winks, then waves for everyone to be quiet. She fails so Josh puts his fingers to his lips and whistles loudly.
“Goddamn, Josh.” Scarlet slaps his arm. “You trying to blow out my ear drums.”
I grab Trina’s hips and turn her to face me.
“What’s happening?”
Then I sink to one knee.
“Marsh! Oh my god,” she cries as a bunch of holy hells sound around us.
I grin. I think I actually have surprised her.
“I’m better with a gun than I am with words.” I shrug and pull out a four-carat solitaire diamond ring.
Trina gasps, her hand going to her mouth.
“But here goes. You’re the one, darlin’. The one I want to spend every hour of every day with. I love your smart mouth. I love the mess you make in our house.”
“Well, that’s not true.” She frowns, but her eyes sparkle and I laugh.
“I love the way you brush your teeth while watching my every move, even when you think I’m not watching.”
“Because you’re hot. Hurry up.” Scarlet rolls her hand around in the air as if I’m some commercial.
“Excuse me?” Cole mutters.
“He is. Get over it.”
Trina glances over at them and then back at me.
“Well apparently we are boring our guests. So can you just say yes, marry me and be my wife?”
I should have known my sassy girl wouldn’t make it easy on me. Trina tilts her head and appears to be considering.
“Umm. Can I have more space in the closet?”
“No.”
“Worth a try. Fine, I’ll marry you.” Trina throws herself into my arms, and our mouths smash together while I cling to the diamond ring with my life.
The room erupts with cheers.
Slowly I slide her down my body and put the ring where it belongs.
“Mrs. Adams,” she whispers, glancing at it then at me.
“One day, very soon, baby.” I kiss her again. “I’m not waiting to make you legally mine.”
“Congratulations.” My bride-to-be is ripped out of my arms by our friends and family, and I stand back and watch with pride.
Life is good.
Miller was given a dishonorable discharge and confinement for nine months for being drunk on duty. We’re still awaiting the ruling in his rape case, but our lawyers tell us he’s confident that under California law he could get up to five years.
Not fucking long enough.
When he gets out it will be in his best interest to move to another country.
I will never let him or anyone hurt my girl again.
Including me.
While I’m going to need some more exciting work to keep me stimulated—I’m a soldier after all—I’ll make sure it’s nothing too dangerous. One day we’ll have children, and I will not leave her a single mom, or our kids without a dad.
I’ve fought battles in my life, but the one to win this woman’s heart is the most important.
I step into the crowd and find my bride. Trina circles her arm around my waste as I kiss her head.
I’m a soldier, yes, but I’m her toy soldier.