Chapter 38 #2
“Four thousand,” Mary screams, looking a little unhinged if I’m being honest. She’s even ignoring her dad who’s angrily murmuring in her ear.
The middle woman’s hand shoots up again, but before she shouts, a new voice joins the fray.
“Fifteen thousand dollars.”
My heart jumps. That sounded like…
No. Don’t be an idiot, Wolff. She doesn’t have that kinda money lying around.
The crowd gasps and mutters, turning left and right to see who’s crazy enough to bid that much for a miserable fucker like me.
Even the idiot MC is stunned into silence.
“Fi—fifteen thousand dollars. Do I hear sixteen anywhere?” He looks between Mary and the middle lady, who both look furious, shaking their heads angrily while they try in vain to locate the hidden bidder too.
Well, thank fuck I’m not gonna be Mary’s little bitch boy, but I guess I have to upgrade Wendy’s to a Five Guys or something if some rich lady thinks I’m worth dropping that kinda money on.
I hope she’s ready to be disappointed.
“Fifteen thousand, going once… going twice… sold to the lady in white.”
White?
He bangs his gavel and my head snaps up, scanning the crowd to see who I’ve just sold my soul to.
When the crowd parts and a golden-skinned, dark-haired woman in a floor-length, iridescent white gown steps forward, I convince myself I’m dreaming.
Because there’s no way the woman who just bid an obscene amount of money is one and the same as the one who owns my heart, right?
I scrub a hand down my face, blink hard, and take another look. Yep.
Still there.
She mouths a hi, her ruby red lips lifting in a shy smile.
She’s here.
My angel is actually here.
With blood rushing in my ears, I jump off the stage and run the distance toward her the second my feet hit the floor.
When I’m within touching distance, inhaling the sweet floral scent I’ve been deprived of for days, the relief that floods me knocks me on my ass.
I sink to my knees, burying my face in her legs.
Her trembling hand threads through my hair and her touch sends shivers down my spine.
Swallowing past the swell of emotion clogging my throat, I squeeze her tighter, petrified she’s going to disappear in a puff of smoke.
She sinks to the floor in front of me, tear-filled eyes meeting mine as she cups my jaw and tilts my face to hers.
“Swayze, I’m so sorry for what I said to you. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean any of it. I lied at the wedding. The night in the pool, it meant something to me too. It meant everything to me. I am yours… if you’ll still have me.”
Her gaze falls from mine to study the floor.
I can’t have that.
I need to see her.
“Mia, look at me.”
Her glassy eyes meet mine, a single tear trailing down her cheek. I swipe it away, cupping her face with both hands, still not entirely convinced my mind isn’t fucking with me.
We’re kneeling on the floor in this crowded ballroom but we could be anywhere right now.
The only thing I hear are her soft, shuddering breaths.
The only thing I see are the crystal tears trapped in her inky black lashes while her eyes plead with mine.
Her words play on a loop in my mind, I am yours… if you’ll still have me.
This woman is all I’ve ever wanted, no, needed, but if she backtracks again, there’s no world where I’ll survive it. This last week without her has been miserable.
Hell, even the simple act of breathing fucking hurt.
I lean my forehead to hers and hold it there.
“Do you mean that, Angel? You have to be sure because I can’t pretend with you anymore.”
She nods, pulling back to take her purse from Haven.
“Mia, you’re not gonna wake up tomorrow and regret it? You won’t pull away again? Promise me you've thought about this?”
“I promise you, Swayze.”
She leans forward, brushing her lips to mine while she presses something into my hand. I look down and find a familiar looking yellow Post-it pad there.
What the—
She nods for me to flip it over and there in purple ink is my girl's pretty cursive writing.
I’m sure.
She pulls off the sheet, exposing a second note.
I’ve got you.
Peeling off that note, there’s another.
I’m yours.
My heart starts to thump so hard it might crack a rib.
For now.
I tear the next one off desperate to see what’s next.
And for always.
She lifts the next one frustratingly slowly.
S’ayabo, Wolfie.
That’s Greek, I know that much but I have no idea what it means. I’m behind on my lessons with the green owl app, dammit.
She smirks, peeling back the penultimate note to leave me holding what’s arguably about to become my favorite Post-it in my entire damn collection.
I love you, Wolfie.
I inhale sharply, studying every square inch of her face. Unshed tears glitter in her eyes as she nods at me.
She loves me?
She actually loves me?
“I love you too, Angel. I never stopped.”
A garbled laugh slips from her lips. Tears stream down her face as she closes the distance and presses her mouth to mine.
I growl in relief, pulling her onto my lap so I can kiss my girl like I’ve been dying to for days.
Her taste explodes on my tongue and my entire body shudders at the contact. I shove the Post-its into my pocket and stand, sweeping her up into my arms, our lips still locked in a searing kiss.
With the soundtrack of our friends cheering around us, I walk her out of the ballroom doors and straight to my truck.
I’m ready to drive my girl home.
Finally. Forever.