It's…amazing.
I don't even know what to call the cut of this diamond. Hexagon? It's definitely not a marquise, but it's not emerald shaped either. It's pointed on the ends, and slightly elongated. But the diamond itself is unlike any other I have ever seen before.
The majority of it is crystal clear, but there are black swirls spread throughout the entire diamond.
It's almost as if this diamond was formed with us specifically in mind. The light and the dark becoming one.
Surrounding it is a sun spray of white diamonds jutting out from it. The entire thing looks as if light is literally springing forth from the dark.
I look up at Jaxon, and find him searching my expression, trying to read my reaction.
I don't mean for it to happen, but instantly, emotion wells in my eyes. My throat is tight.
I haven't cried in such a long time, but suddenly, I'm filled to the brim with emotions.
"How did you even find a ring like this?" I ask as my voice shakes.
"There's a reason why I went to this particular shop," Jaxon says as a smile begins pulling on his lips, as he sees what this ring means to me. "They tend to carry unique things. And when I saw this… There really weren't any other considerations."
I look down at it again and cover my mouth with my right hand as I shake my head. He's right, there is no other ring in this entire universe that could capture everything between me and Jaxon so perfectly.
I look back up at him and I cup my hand behind his neck as I roll forward onto the balls of my feet and kiss him.
This isn't fake. What is between us is not fake. The world and his family might have a different title for it than we do, but this ring is the physical expression of everything that exists between us.
Jaxon is the missing piece to my soul.
"I love you, Serena," Jaxon whispers.
And my soul soars with the words. I didn't think I could feel anything more in this moment. And then he goes and takes it to a whole different dimension.
Two tears break their way free from my lashes. But a smile pulls on my face. I bring both of my hands to either side of his neck. "I love you, Jaxon."
He closes the distance between us, and his lips find mine.
It's perfect. This moment is perfect. And I'm never going to forget it for the rest of my immortal life.
"I don't have a ring for you," I say suddenly as I pull away from his lips, realizing that I don't. "We… Is there another jewelry store in this casino?"
Jaxon smiles. "I have another idea."
* * *
"Are you sure about this?" I ask again for the fifteenth time.
Jaxon settles back into the chair, holding his left arm up on the prop at his side. "Are you trying to back out of this?" he asks.
"Yes!" I say, still slightly shocked and horrified. "You simply put a ring on my finger, and now you're going to permanently mark your body? Over something that is just for show for your family?"
Jaxon reaches over and takes my left hand. "Serena, this isn't just for show. You're it for me."
So I swallow once, and I nod.
This is so crazy. Everything is moving along at rocket speed. I can hardly keep up. But this man right here is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
The big burly man in all black rolls over to Jaxon on his chair and picks up the buzzing piece of equipment.
He puts it to Jaxon's ring finger and begins.
Thirty minutes later, Jaxon walks out of there with a ring of black smoke tattooed around his wedding ring finger.
And it's just one more way that the two of us are fused together for forever.
It's one thousand percent perfect.
Hand in hand, I walk with my soulmate down the hall, to the elevators.
Innocuously, I see Azrael leaning against a wall. At the elevators, I see Sybil looking through her phone, and she glances up just once when Jaxon presses the button to call the elevator.
Twenty seconds later, it opens up, and we step into the empty lift.
I look down at Jaxon’s tattooed finger again. I grab his wrist and lift his hand, resting it on my chest, so he can feel my heart beating.
The look in his eyes deepens as we rise up through the casino. He brings his other hand up, lacing his fingers back into my hair. He steps forward, forcing me a step back, until my back hits the glass wall.
His lips take possession of mine with absolute claiming. His teeth bite my lower lip as they part.
My hands wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to me. Every bit of space between our bodies disappears, and I let out a moan as his body presses into mine, pushing me harder against the glass.
And I think about it then. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if this was real. If Jaxon really had asked me a four-word question before he slid this ring onto my finger.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if the darkling gatekeeper never made it to the gate and it never opened.
Maybe we could just…go, and find the place where we wanted to begin building our lives together.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if we just stayed in this elevator, like this, for the rest of our lives.
But I gasp for air when the elevator slows and then dings as it opens on the fifteenth floor.
“Whoa, shit,” someone says in shock as Jaxon and I step away from each other. I look over and see a blonde woman standing there, diverting her eyes. “Jaxon, you, uh, you’re back.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Sorry, Scarlett,” Jaxon says with a smug smile as we step off the elevator, my hand still held tightly in his. “Serena, I don’t think you’ve met my younger sister, Scarlett, yet. Scarlett, this is my wife, Serena.”
Goosebumps flash over my entire body instantly at the word. It zings through my toes, my fingertips. It snags at something in my lower belly, in a very good way.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” I say with a smile as I step forward and extend a hand. Scarlett eyes it warily, but still accepts my handshake.
“You too,” she says, though her tone sounds doubtful. “So, you weren’t just talking crazy. You really did it?”
Jaxon smiles and raises his left hand, showing off his fresh tattoo. “Last night.”
Scarlett’s eyes fall to my own left hand. She reaches for it and I let her take my hand so she can examine the ring.
“Shit, Jaxon, you must have spent half your life savings on this thing. A salt and pepper diamond?” she says in surprise as she looks over at her brother.
Jaxon looks over at me and raises an eyebrow, as if to say, See? I told you so.
But he just leans forward and presses a sweet kiss to my lips. “She deserves it.”
My brain is still reeling from what his sister said. I didn’t want him even getting something real. Just how much did he spend on this perfect ring on my finger?
But I don’t argue with him like I’d like to. I just smile at him when he backs away.
“Just to give you a warning,” Scarlett says as she meets my eyes, “Mom is on the warpath with you. You stole her son away for longer than she’s ever gone without seeing him.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” I say.
Scarlett just nods once and presses the button to the elevator again, since it’s long gone.