Buttons and Pain (Buttons 3)

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When I woke up that morning, it was earlier than I was used to. The sun was unusually bright and it burned right into my eyelids and forced my mind to accept the fact it was the beginning of a new day.

The second my eyes cracked open the sun was blinding and warm. The birds sang from the trees outside, picking grapes from the vineyard and enjoying the fruit from the branches in the trees. The noise didn’t alarm me until I realized I shouldn’t be able to hear it.

I reached for Crow beside me and realized the sheets were cold. His large body wasn’t there to protect me against my foes and my dreams. “Crow?” I sat up and pulled the sheets over my chest as I looked around the bedroom. Nothing was out of the ordinary. His watch and phone were gone, so wherever he was he took them along.

That’s when I noticed the window was wide open. The shutters were pushed outward and the deep blue sky was just over the horizon. I used to leave my window open in my old room but it was a practice I never did in here. He must have left it open just for me.

On the windowsill was something small. It glinted in the light of the room and reflected it like a piece of metal. Underneath was a sheet of paper. The image reminded me of the morning I woke up in this new place. He left me a note and commanded me not to run.

I got out of bed and pulled on the dress I’d been wearing the night before. My hair was a messy from the way he fisted it the night before, and I quickly tucked the tangled strands behind my ears so I could see. I walked to the window to get a better look at the treasures he left for me.

Sitting on the windowsill was a ring. Made of brilliant gold, the band was thin and slender. Instead of a diamond on the top was a gold button with a pearl inside. It was welded to the material and indestructible. I felt it in my fingertips and noticed how warm the metal was from sitting in the sun all morning. I turned my gaze to the yellow parchment placed underneath it. In Crow’s handwriting, there was a note.

Marry me.

My heart stopped in my chest when I read those two simple words. It wasn’t a question but a demand, and I heard Crow’s voice in my head as I read those beautiful words. My eyes immediately moved to the view out of the window, and in the field of grass and flowers stood Crow. In a black suit with a matching tie, he stared up at me with the same intense look he always gave me. He’d been watching me this entire time, seeing me discover the ring and the note.

Without realizing it, the tears fell from my eyes.

Crow held my gaze then slowly lowered himself to one knee. He kneeled before me, just as he did once before. He was the kind of man who never yielded to anyone, but he yielded to me. He continued to watch me, his back perfectly straight and the command in his eyes.

“Oh my god…” I slipped the ring onto my finger and noticed it fit perfectly. It was snug enough that it would slide off, and it was loose enough that it felt comfortable. The button shined brighter than any diamond ever could.

I ran out of the room as fast as I could and sprinted down the stairs while holding the banister. Eternity seemed to pass because there was so much ground to cover. My heart was in overdrive and my lungs worked at full capacity. I reached the backdoor and pushed through it until I was finally in the backyard. I ran down the path and rounded the corner to where he stood. My hair trailed behind me as I ran, and when I saw the smile on his face I ran harder.

I jumped into his arms and hooked my arms around his neck. He caught me effortlessly, his strong arms keeping me positioned against his chest. I pressed my forehead to his, my eyes still streaming with tears. “Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“I’ll marry you.”

One had fisted my hair as he looked deep into my eyes. “I never asked, Button.”

Chapter Twenty

Crow

Button laid on my chest with her long brown hair framing her face. One hand rested on my ribcage, and the ring I made for her sparkled like a set of diamonds. When I decided to take this step I knew an expensive ring made of the highest quality jewels wasn’t the right fit for her. Button deserved something unique, something meaningful.

A button was the only choice.

After spending most of the afternoon making love with our meals left outside our door, we were lost in each other. Nothing was said because our eyes did all the talking. When I made love to her, her eyes were bright with unconditional love and sexual satisfaction. When she looked into my face I knew she saw a man strengthened by love.