Chapter 16
A week later …
Paige
This can’t go on. It’s madness.
I’m standing in front of the wall of windows in Dane’s living room, looking out at the city lights below. It’s two in the morning. This happens nearly every night. I can’t sleep and then I pace.
Dane will find me in a few minutes. He always does. No matter how quiet I try to be as I sneak out of bed to wander around the dark penthouse, he realizes I’m missing within minutes because the man is in tune with me in a way most humans never experience.
To think I could have gone my entire life without getting to see him again and rekindle the love neither of us had confessed three years ago makes me want to cry. I still can’t believe I happened to walk into a club Dane belongs to, clear across the country from where I last saw him, on a night he happened to be there.
I’m not a spiritual person, but I’m starting to trust that the stars were aligned for us that night.
Our chemistry is off the chart. We can’t get enough of each other. We were pretty hot and heavy in bed three years ago, but it was nothing like this. It goes to show that when two people are faced with the fragility of life and given a second chance, it changes them somehow.
We have a new outlook on life that involves seizing the day. And the night.
The problem is we’re still living in limbo. Dane spends nearly every waking moment tracking down Tombeck—well, all the moments he’s not making love to me. Two of his most important employees are also dedicating every second to this case. They’re losing money by not taking paying customers.
I’m not even sure I want him to find Tombeck. The prospect still scares me to death. I don’t like the idea that Dane could be killed or arrested for confronting Tombeck.
We don’t talk about it because we don’t agree on this topic. But the truth is I’m fucking stressed about it. I wish he would just drop it. I’ll gladly stay in this penthouse for the rest of my life if it means he’ll stop trying to get himself killed.
I lean my forehead against the window and watch the lights below. Even at this hour, cars are on the streets and a few people on the sidewalk. If I have to spend months or even years trapped up here, at least I don’t feel like I’m going to suffocate in this penthouse. It’s huge, and there are so many windows looking out to the world that I’m not claustrophobic.
“Paige?”
I smile as I shove off the glass and turn around. I’m not surprised. “I’m right here,” I tell him. I never turn the lights on when I wander, but there’s enough illumination for him to easily find me.
He wraps his arms around me from behind and rocks me against him. He kisses my neck. “I hate that you can’t sleep.”
I shrug. “I’m just glad you’re next to me every time I wake up.”
“Me, too. I always panic when you’re no longer there, but the pillow smells like you, so I feel confident it’s not an illusion and I will find you somewhere in the penthouse.”
“Hey, you said you had a box of my things from my old apartment. Can I see it sometime?”
“Of course. You want to do that now?”
I tip my head back. “It’s the middle of the night, Dane. Do you mind?”
“Not at all, baby. I don’t give a fuck what time it is. I’ll never care what time it is again in my life as long as you’re next to me.” He releases me to take my hand and leads me back into the master bedroom.
I watch as he opens the closet and reaches up to pull down a large box from the top shelf. He carries it over to the bed and sets it in the middle of the mess of sheets.
I’m trembling as I climb onto the bed with him and kneel in front of the box as he removes the tape. I have no idea what might be inside, but I’m anxious to see.
Dane lowers to his side, props up on one elbow, rests his cheek on his palm, and watches me.
I take a deep breath and reach into the box. The first item I pull out is a photo album I made not long before my death. I knew this would be hard to face, but I’m overwhelmed with emotions as I open the album and start flipping through the pages.
I never thought I would see these again. The thought of them in the dumpster made me cry buckets over the years. And here they are. Dane saved them. He rescued his dead girlfriend’s things and saved them.
Wiping away my tears, I pull out a sweatshirt next. It’s one of his. I had confiscated it early in our relationship and never returned it. I choke up.
When I glance at Dane, he’s swiping at tears, too.
I pull the sweatshirt over my head and lift the front of it to inhale the way I always used to. It doesn’t smell like him this time, though. It’s been in that box for too long. I’ll make him wear it tomorrow.
There are framed photographs of the two of us that had been on the walls and bookshelves. My most beloved books. My favorite jewelry. My mother’s wedding ring.
I pull out a folder that contains ticket stubs from every movie, concert, and play we went to. There are also some ribbons and medals I’d earned as a child. He saved my diplomas, including the one that had not yet arrived when I died. That one makes my breath hitch.
It’s a wonder I can even see through all the tears by the time I get to the bottom. There’s one more item I almost missed. A small square jewelry box that I don’t recall.
When I open it, I frown. I don’t remember this at all. And then I gasp and cover my mouth with my other hand as I jerk my gaze to Dane. He’s crying as he pushes to sitting and pulls me onto his lap. “I forgot I tossed that in there.”
I sob harder. When will I stop crying every day? When will the pain ease? When will every little thing stop setting me off?
We’ve lost so much. We would have been married. We would probably have a kid by now. Instead, we both suffered so much pain.
My hand is shaking as I look down at the gorgeous diamond solitaire my man had intended to give me the night I died.
Dane slowly snaps the box closed and sets it on the nightstand. “I’ll get you a different one someday soon.”
I glance at the jewelry box. “Why would you do that? You picked it out for me. I want that one.”
“Because I have a fuckton more money than I had three years ago. I can afford better. And that ring has odd vibes. It will always remind us of that day.”
I shake my head and turn so that I’m straddling Dane. I grab his shoulders. “That ring represents exactly how you felt that day. It’s filled with hope and promise. It will always serve as a reminder that we found our way back to each other. That we overcame our loss. I don’t want a different ring. I want to wear that one until the day I die.”
He cups my face, his fingers threading in my hair. Blond strands hang in front of my eyes. It’s been six weeks since I last dyed it. It’s starting to grow out. I probably look ridiculous, but Dane hasn’t said a word. I don’t think he’s overly fond of the blond anyway.
He meets my gaze. “Okay, baby. When this is over, I’ll get down on one knee and ask you to marry me properly. We’ll keep this ring if it means that much to you.”
I flinch.
He frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“When this is over? Dane, this might not ever be over. We might not ever be able to marry properly. Do you have any doubts about marrying me?”
He jerks. “Fuck no, baby. Never. You’re mine until the end of time. Even after death, you’ll still be mine. You were mine while I thought you were dead, and you’ll be mine long after we’re both gone from this Earth.”
I glance toward the nightstand. “Then give me the ring, Dane.”
He slowly smiles. “Okay, baby.” He twists around, snags it from the nightstand, and opens the box.
This has to be the most unusual proposal ever. He’s wearing boxer briefs. I’m wearing one of his T-shirts with an old sweatshirt over it. My hair is a wild mess. We’ve been crying. My face feels tight and warm.
It couldn’t be more perfect.
Dane’s fingers shake as he takes the ring out of the box. “Paige Wilken, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
He slides the ring on my finger, and I immediately topple us so that I’m straddling him as I lean over and kiss him. Fuck, I love this man. We’ve lost so much, and we are so very fucking lucky at the same time.