Page 258 of Before Dawn

I reached for her hands, my own trembling slightly. “Be mine. Will you marry me?” My voice was thick with emotion. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you—to be there with you, to cherish you, to love you through everything that comes our way. You’re my everything, and I can’t imagine a life without you. I don’t ever want to.”

Her gaze locked with mine—astonishment, joy, love—all reflected in her eyes.

“Mikkel,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “This is…”

I squeezed her hands. “You don’t have to say anything. Just know that I love you more than words can express. Will you marry me?”

For a moment, she was silent—overcome, overwhelmed. Then, she nodded rapidly, a tearful laugh breaking through. “Yes.” Her voice was full of wonder. “I forgot to say yes! Of course, I’ll marry you. That shouldn’t even be a question.”

Emotion surged through me as I slid the ring onto her finger, its delicate sparkle a mere reflection of the light she’d brought into my life.

She looked down at it, then back at me, eyes shining. “Thank you for giving me my happily ever after.”

My chest ached with the weight of this moment. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long.” I traced my fingers over hers, marveling at the way our hands fit together so perfectly. “I needed to give you a ring that shows just how much you mean to me.”

She shook her head, a breathless smile tugging at her lips. “It’s perfect.”

And so was she. Mine. Forever.

I slipped the ring onto her finger, and her eyes widened in awe, tears spilling over her cheeks as she gazed at it.

“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I can’t believe you went through all this just for me.”

“The ring is beautiful, but its value is nothing compared to what you mean to me. The time I spent having it made, the cost—it’s all worth it for this moment, for making you happy.”

I stood and pulled her into a tight embrace, her warmth making the moment whole. I kissed her deeply, tasting our shared joy. Wrapped in each other, we stood beneath the night sky, ready for the life ahead.

“I thought about proposing before dawn,” I said softly, and she turned around to look at me.

“Really?”

I nodded, pressing a tender kiss to her shoulder. “Yeah, but I also thought of how irritated you’d be if I woke you up that early.”

She laughed then held her hand out, gazing at the ring. “This diamond is so fucking big.”

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Only the best for you,mi amor.”

“My new last name is gonna be Suarez!”

I nodded, my heart swelling with pride. “Sí, Señora Suarez.218”

She took a deep breath, her smile widening even more. “This is an entire dream,” she avowed, her voice filled with warmth. “I have to call my parents and my sister and Azzy and—”

“Calm down, baby,” I urged. “We’ll call everyone in due time. Let’s enjoy the moment.”

“You’re right.”

She glanced at her belly, then met my gaze. “I can’t believe how close we are to meeting our baby girl,” she whispered.

I rested my hand on her belly, feeling the tiny life growing inside. “I keep wondering what she’ll look like, who she’ll become.”

Abigail smiled, her fingers brushing over mine. “And I keep picturing you as a dad. You’re going to be incredible. And hot.”

I chuckled, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I just want to be the best father I can be. But with you, I know we’ll be an amazing team.”

She exhaled softly, gazing at the horizon. “It’s exciting… and a little scary. But knowing we have each other? That makes it all feel right.”

I pulled her close, resting my chin atop her head. “We’re stronger together. No matter what comes, we’ll handle it.”

She nodded, her eyes shimmering with quiet certainty. “After everything we’ve been through, this—us, our baby—it’s everything I ever wanted.”

I kissed her temple, my heart full. “This is just the beginning,mi amor.”

She smiled, leaning into me. “And I can’t wait.”

THE END.