The sun is just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the world in hues of amber and violet. My heart races as Dex’s deep, commanding voice cuts through the stillness.
“Run, baby,” he growls, his tone dripping with challenge. “You have five minutes.”
My breath catches in my throat. His green-hazel eyes gleam with a primal intensity, but there’s something else there—love, trust, the unshakable connection that binds us. I hesitate for a moment, searching his face for the playful reassurance that always lingers beneath his edge. It’s there, subtle, but it’s enough.
A slow, deliberate smirk tugs at his lips. “What are you waiting for?Go.”
That single word jolts me into motion. I bolt, the cool evening air whipping against my skin as I sprint into the forest. My pulse pounds in my ears, a mix of adrenaline and excitement coursing through me. This isn’t fear—it’s exhilaration, the wild kind that only Dex brings out in me.
This time is a little different, though. This time there are little markers Dex has left for me along the way. He wants me to solve some kind of puzzle.
The trees blur as I weave through them, my breaths coming in quick gasps. And then I see it—the first marker. A black leather glove, one of his favorites, hanging from a low branch. It’s unmistakable, and I pause for just a moment, my fingers brushing over it.
A memory flashes through my mind—Dex slipping his gloves on before one of his brutal rides, his hands steady as he guided me onto his bike for the first time. “Trust me,” he’d said, and I had.Completely.
I keep running, my heart hammering with anticipation. The second marker appears moments later—a small jar of sand, tied with a strip of leather. I stop again, my chest heaving, and pick it up. The grains sparkle faintly in the fading light, a reminder of the time we sat on the beach, his arm around my shoulders, as he promised me a world bigger than my fears.
Tears prick my eyes, but I don’t linger. I press on, the forest growing darker, the air heavier with every step. I stumble across a third marker—a small, carved heart. His initials are etched into the wood, alongside mine. My thumb traces over the grooves, and I can almost hear his voice, low and steady, telling me I’m his.
The final marker stops me in my tracks. Two black hearts tattooed onto a piece of canvas, a perfect replica of the ones on our arms. The sight steals my breath. He’s thought of everything, every piece of us, every moment that’s brought us here.
“Dex,” I whisper, my voice trembling, though I’m not sure if it’s from the exertion or the overwhelming love swelling in my chest.
I don’t have to go much farther. The clearing opens before me, bathed in the soft glow of string lights strung between thetrees. My breath catches as I see him—Dex, kneeling on the forest floor, his broad shoulders straight, his gaze locked on me. In his hand, a simple, stunning ring sparkles in the light.
I take a shaky step forward, then another, until I’m standing before him, my chest rising and falling with emotion.
“I don’t need to say much,” he begins, his voice raw, the gravel in it only making it more real. “You know what we’ve been through. You know what you mean to me.”
Tears spill down my cheeks as he continues, his gaze unwavering. “Margaux, I’m not perfect. I’ve got my demons. But I’ll fight them every day to be the man you deserve. I promise to stand by you, to protect you, to love you in every way I can for the rest of my life.”
My legs give out, and I sink to my knees before him. “Dex…”
“Will you marry me?” he asks, his voice trembling, just slightly, for the first time.
I don’t hesitate. “Yes,” I say, the word spilling from my lips with everything I have.
His grin is blinding, his hands steady as he slides the ring onto my finger. The cool metal feels like a promise, a tangible symbol of everything we’ve built, everything we are.
Dex pulls me into his arms, his lips finding mine in a kiss that feels like stepping into the warmth of the sun.
The world around us fades, leaving only the two of us, tangled together in the heart of the forest, forever.
And for the first time in my entire life, I know I truly belong.