The Assassin
Waves rushed over our feet as we walked over the soft, wet sand. The water drenched the hem of Simone’s maxi dress, but she didn’t seem to mind. A smile hung on her face like a portrait, her lips glistening under the moonlight.
Taking a trip back to Turks and Caicos was definitely the reset both of us needed. We’d spent the past few days in one of two places: tangled in bed or wandering around the beach. In our little bubble, there was no sense of time besides night and day and no urgency to get much done within either.
Simone was the only thing on my mind. Her smile. Her scent. Her touch. That’s all I needed during our time here, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to bask in it.
Tomorrow, we’d be back on a plane, heading back home to take our places on the empty seats Ares left for us. But I wasn’t ready to think about that yet.
We still had tonight - and I wanted to make it count.
“Are you alright?” Simone asked. She leaned against my arm and stared up at me with her twinkling brown eyes. “You got quiet on me.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “I was just thinking.”
She raised a brow. “About…?”
Reluctantly, I ceased my steps. “About you…about us.”
Her other brow joined the other, rising to the top of her head.
“I know you’ve been questioning what we are - what you mean to me - since I saved you, and now that we’re becoming more…becoming partners, I guess it’s about time I finally told you. I just…I’m not sure how.”
She stopped walking, pausing so she could turn and stare up at me. “Try,” she murmured.
I took in a breath, herding the words that were trying to run away again.
“Since the moment I met you, gun drawn and determination in your eyes, I thought…I thought you were the most magnificent woman in the world. Beautiful, intelligent, resourceful, and strong. That first fight we had, you took my breath away - literally and figuratively.”
She smiled.
I placed my hands on her face and caressed the top of her cheeks.
“When I set out for you, I knew I wouldn’t be able to kill you.
Not because I couldn’t - well maybe since you whipped my ass quite a few times - but because I didn’t want to.
I was fascinated with you. You were everything I always wanted yet something I never thought I’d be able to have; forbidden fruit in its most temptable form.
Back then, I thought our game would end badly - that I’d lose my muse.
I never thought we’d be together - that you’d be mine.
But I’m so grateful our relationship took the turn it did.
Because I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That is…if you’ll have me.”
Simone’s eyes widened at the velvet box I pulled out of my pocket.
Her hands rushed to her face when I popped it open, unveiling the ring inside.
A cushion cut pure sapphire gem sat nestled between infinity swirls encrusted with smaller diamonds atop a gold band.
The gemstones shimmered underneath the silver light.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “Mateo, it’s beautiful. ”
“I had it custom-made for you the last time we were in Baltimore,” I explained as I plucked it out of the box and slid it onto her finger. “Since I won’t be able to give you a traditional wedding, I figured your ring shouldn’t be either. I wanted it to be unique, special - like you, like our love.”
“Oh, Mateo, it’s perfect.” She lifted her teary gaze from the ring to me. “You’re perfect.” Her arms looped around my neck, and she rose on her toes to kiss me. “I love you,” she whispered against my lips. “More than you know.”
I kissed her harder, trapping her body against mine.
Almost a year ago, I would’ve never thought Simone would escape my crosshairs. Little did I know, she’d infiltrate my own defenses and nestle herself in the parts of myself I thought I’d lost.
As we stood here with our feet in the sand and lips locked in a promise of forever, I realized I wouldn’t have wanted our game to end any other way.