Chapter 19 - The Vow|
That evening, after Ruby had been put to bed in her new, massively upgraded bedroom in the main wing of the house, Damon and Selena walked out onto the rear patio.
The desert night was cool and completely silent, the sky blanketed in thousands of brilliant, piercing stars.
Selena leaned against the stone railing, looking out over the illuminated koi pond. She was wearing a simple silk slip dress, a far cry from the drab uniforms she had arrived in. She looked ethereal, radiant, and completely at peace.
Damon walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder, breathing in the scent of her perfume.
“She asked me today if you were going to be her new daddy,” Selena whispered into the dark.
Damon’s heart skipped a beat. He tightened his arms around her.
“And what did you say?”
Selena turned in his arms, looking up into his face. Her dark eyes were shining with emotion.
“I told her that you already were. In every way that matters.”
Damon felt a lump form in his throat. He had spent his entire life building an empire of fear, accumulating wealth and power, believing that it would insulate him from the world. He had thought that love was a liability, a weakness that enemies could exploit.
But looking at Selena, he realized that she wasn't a weakness. She was the reason he fought. She and Ruby were the only things in his life that actually mattered.
Damon reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, velvet box.
Selena gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
Damon didn't drop to one knee. That wasn't his style. He simply opened the box, revealing a massive, flawless, emerald-cut diamond ring that caught the moonlight.
“I told you I was going to protect you for the rest of my life,” Damon said softly, his voice thick with emotion. “I want to make it official. Marry me, Selena. Let me be the husband you deserve, and the father Ruby needs.”
Tears spilled down Selena’s cheeks. She didn't hesitate.
May you like
“Yes,” she sobbed, throwing her arms around his neck. “Yes, Damon. Of course I will.”
Damon slid the ring onto her finger, kissing her deeply under the Arizona stars. For the first time in his life, the ruthless cartel boss felt entirely, completely whole.
