“You didn’t let me finish. Marriage is a ridiculous thing; I’ve always thought so. I don’t need a ring or some fucking ceremony to know, without a doubt, that you are mine and I am yours.” He pauses, his hands cupping my face as he looks into my eyes. “Even still, I love you more than fucking anything, Ana. If a wedding, a ring, would make you happy. Well, I’d tear down this whole fucking world for you. One wedding is nothing compared to that.”
My heart swells as he speaks, a few more happy tears falling from my eyes as I throw my arms around his neck.
“I love you so much, Ax,” I whisper. His arms come around me, enveloping me.
“More than anything,” he agrees. “Come what may.”
Epilogue
Crow
Though the night isn’t completely dark yet, I make my way unseen down the streets of Tekir and toward the forge. The smell greets me before I turn the corner, creeping inside through the side door
“Hakam!” I bolster as I walk in. The old blacksmith grins and steps forward to slap a hand on my back in greeting.
“Crow, you old fucker! Back so soon?”
I nod, walking across the room toward the whiskey I know he keeps stashed.
“Unfortunately, I have to go West and need you to do something for me while I’m gone.”
“Of course, boss. What’s bringing you West? I know you hate getting too close to The Order and their lackeys, though it’s harder even coming this far east nowadays.”
“Too true, my friend. Unfortunately for the so-called Messiah, his men have now interrupted my Western supply lines.”
Hakam’s eyes widen. “What the fuck were they thinking? Do they know who you are?”
“Not yet, but they will…”
Four Years Later
Axle
“Do you know where Theo got to? I need him for something,” Ana says as she walks into my work room. Wiping the sweat off my brow, I put down my tools and turn to her.
“Was with Omer last I saw,” I tell her, and she grunts, making me chuckle as I step up, enveloping her in my arms. “Don’t worry,frumoasa,they can’t get in to that much trouble.”
She pulls back, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Last time Theo was following Omer around was that incident at the brothel,” she replies dryly. “I don’t have the most confidence.”
I laugh, kissing her forehead one more time.
“He’s only three, he idolizes the boy. I’m sure they’re fine.”
Ana crosses her arms and raises a brow at me, and I have to resist the urge to smile, knowing if I do I’m likely to end up with a black eye for it.
“Okay, okay, I’ll go find them.”
I make my way down the street, nodding to people as I pass. It’s been a strange adjustment the last few years since we came to Tekir. After we eliminated The Watch, those who stayed quickly began to work together to turn this place into the community it once was. The population has grown, too, with word slowly getting out that this is a safe place.
Crow's warning is never far from my mind, though.
A few shouts carry in the distance and I immediately adjust my course, turning the corner only to have a small face smack right into my midsection.
I look down into the wide eyes of my son, who is covered in some powder white substance. A second later, Omer turns the corner only slightly less filthy. I raise my eyebrow at the two of them.
“Oh, hi, Dad!” Theo says, as he bounces between his feet in front of me.