People in the media were vultures, the very worst kinds of human beings. “God, they’re assholes,” I hissed under my breath as I watched the photographers and reporters from the entryway window, just waiting to get a tiny peek at Civil Corruption as they arrived at the funeral of a beloved friend. “I just want to punch every one of them right in the face.”

Ian let out a low, reverberating chuckle from beside me. He’d been at the airport to pick me up when I landed, using the excuse of going to the funeral home early to set up security as a reason for his absence. I was running on no sleep, the only thing keeping me going adrenaline and the knowledge that I was going to see Garrett again. That was all I needed. We’d had just enough time to make a little detour to do something I needed to do before I saw him again, change into the black dress Corrine had packed, and still get to the funeral home before the guys were set to arrive.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but you really do get used to them after a while. Eventually you’re able to tune them out. But today….” His expression hardened as he continued to stare out the window.

“How is he?” I asked, finally finding the courage to summon the question that had been on my mind since I found out Will had died in a car accident.

“Not good,” Ian answered morosely. “None of them are doing well, honestly. This was a serious blow. Will might not have been in the band, but he was just as big a part of it as any of them.” He paused and looked down at me. “That’s why I’m so glad you’re here. He needs you right now.”

I turned back to the window, unable to hold Ian’s gaze any longer. My heart ached for all of them, but the need I felt to get to Garrett, to show him support, was overwhelming. “Well, you know your girlfriend. If anyone’s able to pull a person’s head out of their ass—”

“It’s her,” he finished for me, a smile in his voice.

“You two are good together,” I told him a few seconds later. “I like it.”

“I do too. That’s why I’ve been carrying this around with me, trying to find the right time to give it to her.” He pulled a small velvet box from his inside jacket pocket and flipped it open. The air whooshed from my lungs and my eyes bugged out at the sight of the stunning solitaire diamond resting on a platinum band.

“Ohmigod,” I breathed. “Is that… are you… I want to scream and hug you right now, but it feels like the wrong time to celebrate.” My nose stung with even more tears. I didn’t know how it was possible for a person to cry as much as I had in the past week and a half and not die from dehydration.

“You can scream and hug me when the deal’s done after we get back.” He stopped talking and something flashed in his eyes. I couldn’t quite place it, but then he spoke and I understood. “That is if she even says yes.”

I grinned like a lunatic and bumped the middle of Ian’s arm with my shoulder—that was just how tall the dude was. “Oh, she’ll say yes. Trust me.”

He looked down at me, and for the first time ever he actually seemed vulnerable. I didn’t know it was possible for a giant to look that way, but there it was. “You think so?”

“I know it. You’re gonna get so lucky the night you pop the question. And I’ll be there the next day to tell you ‘I told you so.’”

He laughed, and then a swell of noise from outside drew our attention back to the window. A long line of black SUVs pulled into the lot and started parking in the vacant spaces. “They’re here,” Ian said quietly.

I sucked in a deep, fortifying breath, trying to get my nerves under control. My belly twisted into anxious knots as Ian told me to stay put and went outside to help his team get the band inside as easily as possible.

All the air expelled from my lungs at the first sight of Garrett. He stepped out of the back passenger side of the second SUV. Dark sunglasses shielded his beautiful eyes from me, but it was the sight of that tall, strong man dressed in an expensive suit that nearly did me in. I’d never seen him in anything but T-shirts and jeans, and I thought then that he couldn’t get any more handsome.

I’d been seriously wrong.

The thrill of excitement that raced through my blood at seeing him was quickly extinguished while I watched from the window as the vultures swooped in. It wasn’t until that very moment that I realized I’d gotten so close to Garrett I could tell his mood by just the tightness in his body language. I didn’t need to see his eyes to know he was quickly reaching his breaking point.

The paparazzi shouted rapid-fire questions, one after the other, all of them unwelcome, and all of them completely inappropriate given the circumstances.

One of the photographers managed to get through the barricade of security guys and stepped into Garrett’s path, blocking him from getting into the funeral home. He bared his teeth at the scrawny beanpole of a man and leaned in, saying something I couldn’t make out.

Ian struggled to get to his side, but the crowd of rabid photogs surrounding the guys made it difficult. Garrett went to step around the guy who was hounding him, but the man sidestepped, cutting him off again. That time, whatever he said pushed Garrett over the line.

I sucked in a gasp as one of his hands shot out and twisted in the beanpole’s jacket. Garrett’s other arm cocked back, ready to land a punch to the jerk’s face. That kind of attention was something he and the rest of his friends didn’t need on a day like this. They shouldn’t have to deal with these assholes when they were just trying to say their final goodbyes to a loved one.

“Garrett!” I shouted as I opened the door and stepped out onto the crowded sidewalk, pushing and shoving at the people around me. “Garrett, don’t,” I called out as I closed in on him and the photographer he was still holding by the now-torn collar. “Don’t,” I said in a much softer voice once I reached his side. Forcing myself between him and the man he was so close to pummeling, I placed my hands on Garrett’s chest and tried my best to calm him down.

His jaw ticked as those shades came down at met my gaze. “Gwen?” he asked in shock, like I was an apparition that just appeared out of thin air.

“He’s not worth it, honey,” I whispered, stroking the tense muscles beneath his shirt. “This is what he wants. He wants to rile you up so he can get pictures and some bullshit story to print.” I reached up and took his cheeks in my hands, lightly rubbing my fingertips along the days-old scruff that coated his jaw. “Don’t give it to him. You’re better than him.”

He finally let the guy go and gave me his full attention. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

“I’m here for you,” I answered, looking up at him with every ounce of love I had inside me. I hoped it was enough, that he was able to read it in my gaze. “I couldn’t let you do this alone. I wanted to be with you.”

“But….” He moved to look at the paparazzi over my shoulder, but I took his cheeks in my hands and forced him to look back at me.

“They don’t matter,” I whispered. “They’re not even here right now. It’s just you and me, okay?” I held on until he finally nodded in agreement, and then I went up on my tiptoes and placed a soft kiss against his lips. “Let’s get you guys inside.”

The reporters and photographers surrounding us didn’t even faze me. All I could see was Garrett. He was all I could think about. He was the only thing that mattered. I didn’t care how many pictures of me were taken, or if they knew my name. Garrett was mine, and I wanted the whole world to know.

He nuzzled my hand, pressing closer into my touch.

“Okay, baby,” I said softly. “Let’s go.”

I didn’t need to see his eyes to know he liked that endearment. His smile said it all.

We all managed to finally make it inside, leaving the chaos behind us, and when I spotted Declan, Killian, and Mace, they were already staring at me.

“Hey.” I offered a small wave, the sight of each of them like a stab to the gut. They looked like they hadn’t slept in days. And Mace appeared to already be drunk by the way he slurred, “Hey there, baby mama.”

I moved away from Garrett and embraced them, hoping to offer at least a little bit of comfort. Surprisingly enough, each one of them returned my hug with force, holding on like they needed to receive it just as much as I needed to give it. I tried my best to ignore the lingering smell of whisky on Mace’s clothes before moving back and taking my guy’s hand, but I couldn’t help but worry. “I’m here if any of you need me, okay? Anything at all, you just let me know.”

“We’re good,” Declan responded, offering me a grin. It was small, barely there, but it still managed to reach his eyes. “Just take care of our brother.”

I nodded, feeling that statement down to my bones. I wanted them to know that was exactly what I planned to do, and by the chin tilt I got from Declan, I think I made it clear.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Garrett said, leaning in so close his breath whispered against my skin.

I tipped my head back and lifted my hand, removing the sunglasses that obscured his eyes from me. “I should have been here all along,” I admitted. “I screwed up. I made a mess of everything and I’m so, so sorry about that. There are so many things I need to apologize for, but we can talk about that later. Right now, I just want to be here for you.”

He squeezed his eyes closed and dropped his forehead to mine as his free hand came up to wrap around the nape of my neck. I let out a pained gasp at the uncomfortable sting his touch caused.

He shot up and looked me straight in the eye. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Before I had a chance to answer, he was spinning me in place and moving my hair over one shoulder, uncovering the white bandage on the back of my neck. “Gwen, what did you do?”

My body tingled all over as he slowly removed the bandage to reveal what I’d done during the little detour after my flight. I heard the sharp intake of his breath as he read the words I’d had permanently inked on the skin at the base of my neck.

I am his and he is mine.

I inhaled through my nose, willing my knees not to buckle as I turned to face him. “You’re permanent,” I whispered, his face going blurry through the tears filling my eyes. “I just… needed you to know that.”

“Fuck,” he hissed, shoving his face into my neck. “I’d give my soul to be anywhere else with you right now.” His arms banded around me, gripping so tight it was hard to breathe. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

I looped my arms around his shoulders and held on just as tightly. “I’m with you, Garrett.” My voice cracked on that promise. I knew I’d made that exact same promise before, and I’d broken it when I broke us, but I needed him to believe me this time. “I’m not going anywhere. If it gets to be too much, just squeeze my hand, because I’ll be holding on the entire time.”

He stood to his full height, staring down at me with so much love and sadness. “Promise?”

“I swear on my life,” I answered fiercely. “I’m not letting you go.”

And I didn’t, not once. I stayed by his side, holding his hand while he grieved the loss of someone he loved.

I just hoped it was enough.