"It wasn't that bad," he insisted.
"Yes, actually, it was. You were just too stubborn to see it."
We weren't a couple who bickered. Having known each other for so long, we'd long since ironed out any weird little habits or quirks we had that irked the other person and managed to change them, or the other person learned to live with them.
We were usually on the same page.
There was no reason to fight.
But this?
This was a reason.
"I've been hurt worse."
"That's not the point."
"What is the point then?"
"That I don't want you to do it. And I don't care how much money Jax is going to pay you for it. We don't need the money."
I made good money. He made good money. We lived pretty modestly. And, yes, eventually, there was a future to plan for, but we certainly didn't need to stoop to this level to be able to plan for a wedding or buy a house.
He did not need to get in a cage to fight again.
"Besides, I thought Reign and Fallon forbade everyone from even talking to Jax after that whole mess."
"Everyone had a sit-down about it," Niro said, shrugging. "It's an option again."
"But why do you want it to be an option again? I thought you were fighting because you were, you know, in a bad place."
Had getting with me just been a band-aid on a bigger wound? Did he need therapy or medicine?
"Hey," he said, moving closer, reaching out to snag my chin, forcing me to look at him. "I know you don't like it. I'm not asking you to like it. I'm just asking you to support me."
It was a simple request, wasn't it?
And just because I personally didn't like violence in any form didn't mean he was going to be like that too.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to let it go.
"Who are you going to be fighting?" I asked, watching as a mischievous smile tugged at his lips.
"Jax," he told me, and I finally understood how the Henchmen and Ross Ward had come to a truce. Because as cocky as Jax was, I was pretty sure there was no way he was going to hold his own against Niro in the ring. Regardless, though, it would bring in a crowd and a lot of money.
And the man did need to be taken down a few notches.
"Well then," I said, my own lips curving up. "Hit him really hard for me then too."
"I knew there was a vengeful, bloodthirsty woman in there somewhere," he said, pulling me flush to his chest. "But you can't be too mad at Jax. If it wasn't for his little plan, we might never have gotten to where we are today."
"So, we will invite him to the wedding one day. I still want you to kick his butt."
"Luckily for you, I've never been able to deny you anything."
Niro - 1 year
The ring was heavy in my pocket.
They held a lot of weight, engagement rings.
All your hopes and dreams and plans for the future. All your good and bad days. All your future generations.
It all depended on her looking at that ring and saying yes.
"Are you sick?" Hope asked, stopping on her way to the clubhouse kitchen for some coffee after a long conversation with her father who hadn't been too keen to see his daughter drop by with double black eyes.
"No."
"You're sweating. Like down your face," she added, lip curling.
"Yep," I agreed, feeling like there was a massive weight crushing down on my chest.
"Hm," she said, head cocking to the side. "Alright. Let's see. It's been about a year, right? One year, a new puppy, a rescue African Grey who calls you a rat bastard and tells you to shut up, and one pregnancy scare—"
"She told you about that?" I asked, looking over.
"Who do you think brought her the tests?" Hope said, rolling her eyes.
"Billie."
"Right. Like she could keep a secret. Anyway, given all of those milestones, and the river that is pouring off of you, you are about to ask her to marry you, right?"
"Why didn't you go into profiling again?" I asked.
"Being in people's heads is exhausting. I'd rather be in their faces. Or on their asses."
"Yeah, looks like that is working out for you," I said, nodding toward her face.
"This is what happens when your partner fails you on a job," she said, shrugging. I was no expert like her parents, like she was even if she tried to deny it, but I knew betrayal when I heard it in someone's voice. "But anyway. What's with the sweat? Do you actually think she won't say yes? That woman looks at you with stars in her eyes. It's disgusting," she added.
"It's a big ask."
"Is it, though? I mean she loves you. You love her. This is just the next natural progression of your relationship."