His Soul To Keep (Dark Knights of Heaven Book 1) (27 page)

Epilogue

Cassidy sat on the edge of Rail's bed, watching him strip off his dusty clothes. Not only had he followed her from the library, but he’d caught her and carried her up to their room.

She still wasn’t sure if he would accept her terms, but with Rail standing gloriously naked in front of her, she was willing to let the discussion go.

For now.

Smiling, Rail pulled Cassidy to her feet. "You’re overdressed."

She leaned against his body. "Oh?"

"Unless you plan to wash your clothes while we shower."

"
Oooh
." Smiling wickedly, Cassidy stepped back, shed her clothing, and made a dash for the bathroom. At the door, she stopped to let Rail catch up. "I guess I’m forgiven for pulling you away from finding the answers to all your questions."

"Right now, I don’t really care." Carefully, he walked her backward into the bathroom until her lush ass bumped against the vanity. "I can wait for all the answers to all my questions, except for one."

"Which is?" She gazed longingly into his dark eyes.

"Are you sure you can love me?" Rail asked seriously, his voice going low.

"I already love you." Cassidy caressed his face. "You know that, right?"

"But can you love me for all that I am—demon and angel?" He placed a finger over her lips as she started to answer. "You need to know that there are parts of me I haven’t shared with you, parts I’m not completely ready to face yet."

Cassidy’s worried eyes pierced him. "What are you saying?"

He hadn’t wanted to do it yet. He wanted to wait until he’d thought things through a little more, but there they were, and he’d already opened the proverbial can of worms. "Can you love me knowing that…" Rail swallowed. "Knowing that there was once a time when I came very close to falling for real? I almost gave in to the darkness. I almost became one of Lucifer’s bitches, a minion." He couldn’t look at her.

"You’re not that person anymore, Rail," she answered softly, resting her head against his chest, her hand on his new tattoo. "You’re not even the man I met on that derelict barge."

He let the breath he held escape. "Then, what am I?"

Cassidy laughed as she lifted her face and pulled his head down until their lips met. She kissed him softly and pulled back with a smile. "You’re the man I love, silly. Or weren’t you listening?"

"Even with…"

"Even with everything you once were. Even with that demon inside of you. Good and bad. I feel you in here." She tapped her sternum. "I know what kind of man you are."

Rail took her hands in his and for a few moments just stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. Waves of her love washed over him and soothed the pain in his chest. Even his demon relaxed, curling up like a sleeping kitten. Content.

It was then or never.

"Will you marry me?" Rail blurted. Less than romantic, but if he didn’t ask then, he was afraid he never would.

"What?"

"I love you," he murmured as he rested his forehead against Cassidy’s and raised their entwined hands to kiss her knuckles. "I don’t want you to just be the vessel for my soul, my soul bonded; that’s destiny. This is my choice. I love you. I want you to be my wife."

Startled, Cassidy pulled back. "Oh, my God. Rail—"

"Don’t," he cut her off, the old pain springing back to life. "Don’t say it’s not going to work out. Or that I’m not really in love with you. Or that you’re going to grow old and die." He sighed, placing little kisses along her lower lip and jaw. "I want you."

Cassidy kissed him deeply as she wrapped herself around his body. He lifted her to sit on the vanity. "All I was going to say was, ‘yes’, stupid," she rasped. "Now, shut up."

Rail didn’t argue. There was no further need for words. No more pain.