Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
"I want to be so mad at you right now," she whispers.
"I know." I brush my lips across her crown. "I'm hoping you'll forgive me instead. I've survived a lot. I won't survive losing you."
"Brantley."
"I mean it, little bird. You're my soul."
She rests her head against my chest with a sigh. "You're mine, too. I've been so damn worried about you. I was afraid…"
"You thought I was losing the battle."
"Yeah," she whispers.
"You weren't wrong." I tip her head back until our eyes lock. "I went to a bar today. I intended to drink until I couldn't feel anything."
"Brantley." Tears well in her eyes.
"I didn't do it. I made you a promise that I'd reach for a lifeline, so that's what I did." I swallow hard. "I went to see my mother instead and then Daniel and I went to a sobriety meeting."
"Really?"
I nod. "My mother is releasing a statement about who my father really was," I murmur, brushing my thumb across her bottom lip.
Isla's eyes widen. "What?"
"It's what needs to happen, baby." I cup her cheeks, pressing my forehead to hers. "I refuse to let him win. Not when I've got you pouring light into my life like you're made of the stuff. Not when I have something worth fighting for right here in front of me." I exhale a breath. "I can't promise it'll be easy, but I'm not going to lose the battle, baby. I'm going to keep dealing. I've got you helping me. And I've got Daniel helping me. I've got Memphis and my mother and a dozen other people who are all ready to jump in and drag me out of the water if I start going under."
"Promise?"
I hook my pinky through hers, making her smile. "Promise, baby."
She slides her arms around my waist, hugging me. I hold her for a minute, grateful as hell that she's here now before a thought occurs.
"Does Mac know you're here?"
"No. Um, I might have snuck out," she admits.
"Isla. He's going to lose his mind."
"He won't. I left a note."
I kind of doubt that'll help any at all. But when she rises up on her toes, pressing her lips to mine, I forget all about Mac.
"I'm right where I want to be, Brantley. And I'm not going anywhere. He's just going to have to learn to accept it."
My eyes flash to hers.
"I'm not going home."
"You mean tonight."
"I mean ever." She bites her lip. "I mean, so long as you still want to keep me. I made up my mind before I left that I was done hiding you. I'm tired of it, Brantley. You aren't a secret, and I'm not going to keep treating you like one just because I'm scared."
"Marry me," I blurt.
She blinks wide eyes at me. And fuck, maybe I should keep my damn mouth shut, pretend I didn't say anything. But I don't do that. Of course I don't. If she's afraid of being sent away, I'm not going to let that happen. I can protect her right here.
"Marry me, little bird," I breathe. "Your father will probably hate me for it. He'll be mad as hell. But I don't fucking care. I want you tied to me in a way that's real. I want you in our home, in our bed, wearing my ring and my last name because it's where you belong. You were meant to be mine. I felt it the day we met. I've felt it every day since."
"Yes," she says.
"What?"
A bright smile breaks on her face, wiping away every single shadow. "I said yes, Brantley. Yes, I'll marry you."
Fucking hell. She said yes.
"Right now? Tonight?"
"I mean, I doubt that's possible, but yeah, I'd marry you tonight."
I scoop her up into my arms, crushing my mouth to hers. This gorgeous, fierce, amazing little goddess just agreed to marry me. She's going to be mine permanently. If there's a heaven, there's no way it's better than this. It isn't feasibly possible. It just isn't.
Chapter Twelve
Isla
We don't get married in the middle of the night. We spend it making love and talking instead. But Brantley and I find ourselves at the courthouse first thing in the morning, standing before the judge. We exchange our vows with Daniel and a clerk acting as our witnesses.
When Brantley slips his ring on my finger, promising to love me forever, I know he means it. He won't get it right every day. He'll mess up. We'll argue. I'll worry about him. But he'll love me. We'll fight for each other. And we'll make it through. Because, despite everything—or perhaps because of everything he's been through—he knows what's important to him. And he's finally fighting for it.
I repeat my vows with tears in my eyes. And I pray he knows just how much I mean them too. I won't get it right every day. I'll mess up, too. But I'll love him. There isn't a world or a future where I won't love him and every broken, exposed piece of him. He deserves that more than anyone I've ever met.