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My heart twisted as I reached up to cup his cheek "I made up my mind in Sheol It’s you or nobody Always I don’t want anyone else"
His lovely mouth quirked at one corner "Yeah, well, that Nephilim demon, or whatever he was, sure , Kel brought you back toAnd without his help, there’s no way I could’ve ever beaten Barachiel"
He nodded at that indisputable fact "Froot fromwhen I felt like giving up hope"
"If I had to, I would’ve undonefor you"
"Thank you, love" He squeezed his aro for a drive with ht about that My story I had no i for theet to knohere we’re going?"
Chance shook his head, s "I’d prefer to show you"
"Then c’ated parking and a war started with a purr when Chance turned the key in the ignition, even after long absence He ran his hands happily over the wheel, so huing Soe, but both of us had, just enough He was still the man I’d always loved, even after I left him, but without the icy control and endless distance He’d learned to share hiate attendant waved as we eased out into traffic and down the mountain Chance took the road that led toward Atizapan and the cuota--toll road--which could take you either to Queretaro or Toluca, depending He est, toward Toluca, which would also take us past Interlomas, an upscale development, and eventually Santa Fe, another fashionable suburb popular with A at Huixquilucan; though I wracked ine where ere headed The mystery deepened, but Chance didn’t volunteer any info In fact, when I tried to ask, he deliberately turned the volunored that too
Which clearlyup his sleeve
I sat back and watched the darkness He chose roads see me further We weren’t headed toward town at all; Chance was driving us out into the wilderness I hoped his phone had reliable GPS in case he got turned around The way became precarious, littered with stones, and an unpleasant recollection flared--last tiether--and the loss it presaged Mostly, I tried to keep a lid on the horror of Sheol and Greydusk’s sacrifice, but soulated ht Chance wouldn’t bring me out here to tore of a jutting proht, heavily forested All around us, cacti blooave blossoms so fiercely yellow even in the dark It was a remote and wild place, but in some ways it perfectly represented my kinship with this country Like Mexico, I was not easy to love
"Do you knohy I brought you here?"
I shookup at the massive twinkle of the stars Within the city proper, you lost sight of these Instead you saw planes and other lights; the sky never seeious significance, as if ere standing in a holy place, lifted toward heaven This was a ht feel at ho ht, and I justI couldn’t believe it Intellectually, I knehat ca incredulity that overlaid , it contained his silver coin, the one he used to roll along his knuckles Chance presented it to me with a flourish
"I don’t understand," I said
"You’reof it"
Tears welled up iners, I plucked the coin out and curled ers around the smooth, cool metal "I’ll keep it safe," I promised
Yet he still didn’t rise, which meant he wasn’t finished A second box, this one blue velvet, came out of his pocket When he snapped it open, I already knehat it contained, but the beauty of the ring astonished me It shouldn’t have, I supposed, because Chance always had exquisite taste He’d judged my preferences perfectly from the platinum shine to the princess-cut diamond, surrounded by sapphires
"Corine, you were my love firstand then ether--that we should be--even when it must’ve seemed iing you to be my wife Become Corine Yi and start a new adventure with me"
"Yes, please," I whispered, afraid to reach for hiht wake alone and in tears
As if he sensedonto the fourth finger of ht, it fit perfectly Chance folded to his feet then and pressed a kiss against ods, he loves me so much He does And there was no question how I felt about his, and the stains would never wash off my soul, but I had done them for the best of reasons Maybe friendship and affection didn’t excuse bad deeds, but for Shannon Cheney and Ian Booke, I’d do theret was that I hadn’t been able to save Kel, but helife, maybe it had been time