I was on my feet in a heartbeat, crossing the two steps it took to get to Matt. My hands found his face, and his found mine, and for a second, there was no cell, no sheriff, no damn Grant. Just us.
“Hud,” he whispered, his forehead pressed to mine. “What the hell am I gonna do with you?”
“Love me,” I rasped. “That’s all I need.”
“I do.” He pressed his lips hard to mine. “So fucking much. But what were you thinking?”
“I’m sorry, Matt. I tried. I really tried but couldn’t forget what you told me last night. I couldn’t just walk away and let him keep breathing like he didn’t do anything wrong.”
Groaning, Matty pressed my face to his neck. “It’s my fault. I should have known what you were up to when Dad told me you went to town and you didn’t mention it.”
“Are you sure you’re not mad? ’Cause I got him real fucking good, but it doesn’t feel like enough.”
“Listen to me, babe. I’m not angry. You’re the only one outside of my dad who’s ever wanted to protect me. How can I be mad at you?” He stepped back, brushing over my cheek. “But I don’t agree with how you handled it. You could’ve killed him. And then what? What about Ivy? What about us?”
“I didn’t go with the intention to fight, but his stupid face annoyed me and his mouth even more.” I inhaled sharply and let the breath out slowly. “But I trust you, Matt. Trust that if anything happens to me, you’d raise her right. That she would have her papa and her Ozzie to give her a good life. You’d make sure she never forgot me.”
He pressed his forehead to mine again. “God, you fucking idiot. Of course I’d take care of her, but I want you too, Hud. Don’t take that away from me by putting yourself in this position ever again.”
Something inside me broke and settled at the same time. Before I could think better of it, I dropped to my knees on the concrete, wrapped my arms around his hips, and looked up at him.
“Marry me,” I blurted, voice rough.
Matty blinked. “What?”
“When Grant went down, all I could think was that thereare two people I’d go back to jail for without blinking. Ivy and you. And if anything ever happens to me, I want it on paper that you’re her other parent, that we’re family. And because I’m also obsessed with you, Matty Magnuson, and apparently will go around punching people in their face if they say stupid things about you, so save Ivy from an uncertain future and marry her daddy.”
For a heartbeat, the room was just his breathing and mine. “Hudson,” Matty whispered. “Get up.”
I held on tighter. “Not until you say yes.”
He huffed a wet laugh, then cupped my jaw. “Yes. Of course it’s yes.” He tugged at me until I stood, then slid a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small, square box like a damn magician. “And for the record…I meant to ask you last night.” His voice shook. “I bought this when I went to Denver. My mom even helped me pick it out. I had everything planned, and then I…told you about Grant, and it didn’t feel right to pile good on top of rot. Then I wanted to ask you again today, but you were nowhere to be found.”
My head spun. “You want to marry me? I thought you changed your mind when you didn’t ask again.”
“I wanted to find the right time. For it to be memorable.”
“Ah, well, I don’t think anything tops a proposal in jail.”
Matty laughed and snapped the lid of the box open. “It’s for you,” he said, throat working. “I’m gonna marry you, Hudson Granger. I’m gonna make you a Magnuson and put you on the biggest lockdown this state has ever seen. But this is more than just a proposal about us. It’s also a promise that I’m going to do whatever it takes to adopt Ivy, if you’ll have me.”
“Of course.” I laughed, an ugly, relieved sound that cracked in the middle, and pressed my forehead to hisagain. “Oh God, I never thought I could love somebody this much.”
He smiled, brushing his thumb along my jaw, then slid the ring onto my finger like it had always belonged there. Damn, it looked expensive. I loved it.
“Wait, did you say your mom helped you pick it out?”
“Yeah. She might have scored major points for that, but I’m still not over what she did yet.”
I groaned, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You got your man. Just bury the hatchet, Magnuson.”
“Maybe after I get you down the aisle.” He slipped his arms around my waist.
“You saying I might skip out on our wedding?”
“Unlikely. I’d drag you back.” His hand slid down to grab my ass. “Don’t forget I know exactly how to get you in line.”
“Fuck you.”
