Sully swallowed and waved the man away. “All you need to do is the binding part, nothing else.”

Cal chuckled, and Jess rolled her eyes, and I...I couldn’t look away from the intense sharpness, the utter snarl within Sully’s stare.

Whistling once, Sully let my hand go and waited for Pika to descend and wrap his claws around his finger. Leaving his cane speared into the sand, he pulled the ribbon free and unthreaded the three rings.

Silently, he passed the largest one to me.

I captured it in my palm and held it up to the setting, fiery sun. Every minute the sky darkened with cracks of crimson and splashes of sienna, bathing us in sinful red. The band I held was made of thick yellow gold. Heavy to hold and frosted with brilliant diamonds, sweeping over the top, following the contour of a quill and the bristling of a feather.

I looked up, understanding instantly. “For Pika and Skittles.”

His lips fought a grimace and a grin. “You’re not just marrying me, you’re marrying everything that I hold precious. I will never trust anyone as much as I trust you to care for them as I do. I will never love anyone as much as I love you to share the same empathy toward animals who have been mistreated.”

I bit my lip, stemming a silly wash of tears.

I would not cry today.

I would not ruin the soft lashings of mascara or blur the perfect image of Sully in his perfect linen suit standing on his perfect sunset beach.

Taking my hand, Sully splayed my fingers and pushed the huge cushion cut diamond onto my finger. It was triple the size of the one he’d given me after the cave fantasy and just as flawless. The yellow gold imprisoning it glittered with inlaid diamonds down the band.

“That is to show the world that you are mine. A gaudy, monetary reminder that it is my honour to provide for you, shelter you, and shield you.” He ran his thumb over my knuckles, using me as his support when his legs threatened to sway. “Most of our life will be spent here, hidden in the Java Sea where we have no need of others. But, on those rare occasions when we mingle, I want every man and woman to see that ring and know that you are worshipped, adored, and own me fucking body and soul.”

Jess started crying. Cal sucked in a breath.

I just clung to Sully, drowning in the oceans in his eyes and the absolute treasure I found there.

“I don’t know what the traditional vows are. I have no idea what I’m supposed to say to you to make this official, but—” He cleared his throat, giving me a sexy grimace. “I love you, Eleanor. I love you so much, but I know it’s merely a fraction of how much I’ll love you as we grow old together. There is still so much to learn, so many habits to uncover, so many quirks and ideals to share. As we get to know each other, I’m afraid of how deeply I’ll fall in love with you. There is no one else. There never was and never will be. You are my one and only, and that is my oath to you. Accept me, and you accept my drive to keep you safe. Love me, and you agree to be loved every day I am alive and beyond. Marry me, and you are mine forever. You are not only my friend and lover but you are my conscience, too. I promise to always listen to you. I promise I won’t go too far. I trust you to indulge me when I’m overbearing and trust you have the temper to put me in my place when I need it. I trust you, Eleanor, with everything that I am.”

He confessed to a level of devotion that any girl could ever dream of, and he delivered it elegantly and threateningly. His eyes glowed with domination all while his face softened with reverence.

The longer we stood bound together, the more his troth made my heart race to be alone, to touch him and confirm that this was real. This wasn’t a falsity or a fantasy. My reality had become euphoric without any need for tricks.

The celebrant coughed behind his hand. “If that’s all, Mr. Sinclair? Perhaps, Ms. Grace would like to say a few words.”

Sully shot him a scowl but smiled guiltily at me. “Sorry if I went a bit dramatic.” He cupped my cheek and ran his fingers through my loose hair, unable to stop himself from tugging a little and shooting shards of electricity down my spine.

I gasped as my inner muscles clenched.

Our proximity crackled with passion. The constant hum that always ignited between us had created its own force field, sizzling and thirsty with sparkling wattage, ensuring I would never stop wanting this man. “It wasn’t dramatic,” I whispered. “It was perfect. I don’t have anything nearly as wonderful to say. You’ve wowed me.”

Tucking wayward strands behind my ear, sending another lick of yearning through my belly, he murmured, “You don’t have to say a thing for it to be perfect. You’re perfect.” He smirked, showing hints of the elixir king who I’d first met. “But...it is your turn, Jinx, and I expect you to vow your life to me.”

I blushed.

We’d come so far from that first day. That first thorn of lust that’d pierced our skin, had wriggled into blood and bone, ensuring we were both infected with a lifetime of commitment.

Smiling, I sucked in a breath and pulled my fingers from his. My massive engagement ring glittered, refracting the sun’s spires of magenta, coming alive like a tiny fire upon my hand.

It did what Sully intended. It marked me better than any tattoo or brand. It bound me to his heart and his islands, and I would never take it off.

Exhaling my worry that I’d stumble over words or make a mess of my declaration, I spread Sully’s long, handsome fingers and slipped the masculine wedding band over his knuckle.

As it slid into place, something clicked open inside me.

A key to a place within that I didn’t even know existed. From that place came a warm river of knowledge that this was right, this was exactly as it should be. They’d been many moments of premonition while living in this fantastical world and fighting off hallucination horrors. Seer-like visions when Sully was hurt, about to be, or that he would derail my life far worse than I feared.

And this one? It granted a flash-forward into the future as well as a rewind to the past, and I stood in the crosshairs of so many decisions and destinations all forking out like a thousand needles on a compass. There were so many journeys I could’ve taken, so many people I could’ve met, so many adventures I could’ve chased, yet...none of those would’ve been right.

Yes, I could’ve had a good life. And yes, I could’ve been happy, but only because I wouldn’t have known the absolute joy of finding the one.

Sully was the one.

No question or doubt.

He was the reason I’d been birthed at this exact time in history because there was more than just serendipitous chance that’d brought us together but a lifetime of reincarnation and unknown attempts to find each other.

I lost the battle not to cry as I continued staring wordlessly at the ring looping his finger. To have that symbol on him made me possessive, powerful, and filled to the brim with omnipotent conviction.

This was kismet in every brilliant shape and story.

“Sullivan Sinclair,” I sniffed back my tears and looked into his stunning sea gaze. “I am no longer afraid. No longer afraid of making a mistake or saying the wrong thing. No longer afraid of missing out or not taking a gamble when I should. I’m not afraid because I know I can tell you anything, and you will listen. I can confide in you, and you will care. I know I can make mistakes, and you will be there to help me and laugh with me. Every new experience, we will share together. Every new gamble isn’t a gamble because we are together, and that’s unbelievably precious. I have no doubt you will get bossy and controlling at times, but I also have no doubt you will be generous and protective. I promise you I will look after you in every mood and malady. I will stand by you with your charities and your crusades for all feathered and furred. Like you, I know that the depth I feel for you now is nothing compared to how I will love you a year from now, a decade from now, a lifetime from now. You own me body and soul, Sully, not because of contracts or choices but because you always have. Just as I own you.”