Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #4)

by Kerri Maniscalco

“Ahh, about that.” Thomas emerged from around the corner with more boxes stacked in his arms. He paused long enough to run his gaze over me, his attention slow and meandering. Heat rose in my cheeks and I subtly patted the front of my bodice down, physically checking to see if wisps of smoke were coming from my person. He finally met my eyes and grinned in satisfaction. “I had a few extra pairs made.” “O-oh… what a delightful surprise, Mr. Cresswell! However did you know we’d be here?” At this, I rolled my eyes skyward. Liza was almost as abysmal at acting as Thomas was at singing. She kissed my cheeks and smiled warmly at Thomas. The two co-conspirators had planned this moment out. I could have hugged them both. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I saw this darling little robe I need to inquire about.” Thomas nodded as she moved past him and promptly started up a loud conversation with the dressmaker in the next room. “You look stunning, Audrey Rose. Here.” He set his armful of boxes down on the settee and then took my hand in his, guiding me around to peer into the looking glass. “You’re a vision. How do you feel?”

“I didn’t know you were such a talented cobbler, Cresswell.” He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, expression thoughtful. “I find myself striving to learn new talents, especially when the result is you looking—” “Radiant?” I guessed. “I was going to suggest ‘like you wish to destroy my virtue at once,’ but I suppose yours isn’t a terrible deduction, either.” Thomas pressed his lips to mine in a gesture that was meant to be sweet and chaste. I was almost certain he hadn’t intended for me to pull him near, deepening our kiss. And I sincerely doubted he’d planned on lifting me into his arms, skirts puffed around us, as he walked us over to the settee and maneuvered me onto his lap, careful to mind my leg. There was truth in his assessment after all. I ran my fingers through his soft locks, allowing myself a few moments of unfettered bliss. Times like this, when I was curled into his arms, safely tucked away from murder and corpses, I found stillness and peace. Staring into my eyes as if I offered him the same respite, he brought his lips to mine again.

“It’s your birthday and yet you’re the one surprising me with gifts. Somehow, I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work.” “Oh? I thought the one with the birthday had the right to choose whatever he wanted. Maybe you’ll want to ravish me for being so irresistible.” And humble. “Thank you for the shoes, Thomas.” I looked at the stack of boxes, teetering precariously close to the edge of the settee now. He caught my stare and nudged them back to safety. “All of them. It was very sweet. And highly unnecessary.” “Your happiness is always necessary to me.” He tilted my chin up and kissed the tip of my nose. “We’ll find new ways of navigating the world together, Wadsworth. If you can no longer wear heels, we’ll design flats you adore. If you ever find those no longer work, I’ll have a wheeled chair made and bejeweled to your liking. Anything at all in the universe you need, we will make it so. And if you’d prefer to do it on your own, I will always step aside. I also promise to keep my opinion mostly to myself.” “Mostly?” He considered that. “Unless it’s vastly inappropriate. Then I’ll share it with gusto.” My heart gave an involuntary flutter and I was sure if I didn’t keep making light of the situation, I’d tackle him to the ground immediately and never be asked back to this boutique again.

“You do say you like a man with a rather large—” “Stop.” I held my hand up. “I beg of you. My uncle is right there.” “Brain.” He finished anyway, grinning at my reddening face. “You truly astound me with the direction your filthy mind travels in, Wadsworth. We’re at a crime scene; have a care.”

a local wh… prostitute,” Byrnes said, clearly shifting his words because of my presence. What a pleasant gentleman. I all but rolled my eyes.

“I am honored you wished to share your family’s legacy with me.” “I didn’t want you to think it was claiming territory.” I laughed outright. “Oh, Thomas. I truly love you.” Whatever shyness or uncertainty he’d felt earlier was gone. His attention was sure and steady, and he boldly inspected me. He moved his gaze from my eyes to my lips, where it lingered a moment. I swore the boy possessed the ability to set a person ablaze using one smoldering look. “I want you to always have choices.” Choices. Those would be grand. I glanced at the mound of journals waiting for us on the table. There was much work to be done. So many mysteries left to unravel. My head knew we needed to focus on solving these crimes, but my heart wished to curl up in front of the fire, pull Thomas into my arms, and kiss him until we were both blissfully happy. I permitted myself one more moment of this fantasy life—pretended we were the sort of couple who needn’t trouble ourselves with anything other than reading the paper and tending to the house. A mental image of a woman lying split open snapped me back to reality. Ever in tune with me, Thomas helped me to my feet and sighed. “You start in on the journals; I’ll fetch us more tea.” I snagged his arm and kissed him deeply. I ran my hands through his hair, then stepped back, pleased by his tousled, surprised look. “Bring some scones and clotted cream, too. And maybe a few more petit fours. I adore those little candied flowers on top.”

“They wouldn’t get away with murdering their own children, would they?” “Depends on how well they dispose of your bodies.” Thomas just managed to dodge a pillow that flew by his head. I smiled as Liza huffed a few unladylike curses under her breath.

I snuck a peek at Thomas, hoping for him to appear as uneasy as my cousin and me, but he sprang to his feet with a jaunty hop. I stared, openmouthed, as he bounced from foot to foot. He caught my eye. “What? Can’t a young man enjoy a good hop every now and again without judgment?”

“Sir?” I asked, hating the edge of worry in my voice. “You will agree, won’t you?” “I may.” Relief sluiced through me. I practically stumbled out of my seat and threw my arms around my father’s neck. “Thank you! Thank you so much, Father!” He held me close, chuckling. “Now, now, child. Save your thanks for a little while more. Let’s first hear what your Mr. Cresswell has to say.”

Forgetting about any cursed rules of the world, I reached over, water dripping onto the hexagon tiles, and laced my fingers through his. “Oh, Thomas. Are you all right?” A single tear slipped down his cheek as he nodded. “I’d forgotten, almost, what it was like. Listening to my mother’s advice. Her voice. The soft accent that was never quite British or Romanian, but somewhere in between. I miss her. There isn’t a day that passes where I don’t wish for another moment with her. I’d hoard it away forever, knowing how precious it was.” I gently squeezed his hand. In this most unfortunate circumstance, we understood each other too well. I missed my own mother terribly. While I was thrilled Father had finally agreed to our engagement, the wedding planning and celebration would be difficult to go through without her. Her absence—along with Thomas’s mother’s—played a large role in our second request to my father. I hoped he’d consented to that as well. “It is a gift, having her letters to look forward to,” I said. “They’re invaluable little mementos—proof that some things are truly immortal. Like love.”

“Beyond life, beyond death. My love for thee is eternal.” “That’s beautiful. Was it in the letter?” “No. It’s how I feel about you.” I swore my heart stuttered a moment. The young man who London society claimed was nothing more than a cold automaton had created poetry.

“Red diamonds are the rarest in the world.” He turned it one way, then the next, showing off its magnificence. I couldn’t stop staring at it. “My mother told me to follow my heart, no matter what others might counsel, and give this to whoever I choose to wed. She said this stone represents an eternal foundation, one she hopes is built on trust and love.” He inhaled deeply. “I’d already jotted down those lines for you, ‘Beyond life, beyond death; my love for thee is eternal.’” At this admission, he blushed. “When Daciana brought me this letter today—the very day your father gave us his blessing—and I read that line, it felt as if my mother was here, offering her own blessing not just for me but for you, too. She would have welcomed you as her daughter.” He took my left hand in his, his gaze now locked onto mine. I knew him well enough to realize how serious he’d become, how important these next words would be. His coldness this afternoon in the makeshift laboratory was self-preservation; he was preparing to open himself more fully than the corpse we’d flayed apart. I remained still, as if one unexpected movement might frighten him away. “This ring is a gift from my mother, passed along from her mother and so on. It was once owned by Vlad Dracula.” Without breaking my stare, he nodded toward the jewel. “It’s yours now.” Gooseflesh rose along my arms, catching his attention. “I’ll understand if you’d rather have another diamond. My family legacy is rather—” “Majestic and incr...

“Thomas, I had chills because I’m honored you’d share your deepest fears with me.” With this bloodred diamond, he was giving me another piece of his heart. It was a gift rarer and more precious than the stone he wished to place upon my finger. “I will wear it proudly and cherish it forever.” I worked my mother’s pear-shaped diamond off and put it on my other hand, pulse racing as Thomas slipped his family heirloom onto my ring finger. It fit like it was always meant to be mine. He kissed each knuckle, then drew my arm around his neck, uncaring that he was getting his shirt wet. “I love you, Audrey Rose.” Without prompting, I placed my other arm around him. My shoulders were now completely out of the bath and I was perilously close to being exposed further, but I didn’t care. Thomas’s body was both shield and comfort as he pressed it firmly against me. “I love you, Thomas.” When we kissed, I swore the earth shook and the stars burned brighter. Thomas moved out of my grasp long enough to hop into the tub, fully clothed, and pulled me onto his lap. Heat shot through me at the unexpected but welcome contact. “Are you quite mad? I’m not wearing any clothes!” I whispered, laughing as he dunked under the water, then shook his head like a dog. Droplets pelted me. “My aunt will die from the scandal!” He brushed a piece of hair from my face, then slowly moved his lips from my jaw to my ear and back, kissing my bare skin until I was convinced we soaked, unhurt, in a pool of fire, and...

I hadn’t thought he’d be interested in such fads. Not that I minded. It was… tantalizing. I touched it with my fingertips, careful to avoid the red splotches around its edges indicating it was fairly new. He watched me, his attention intent and focused, while I inspected it. “A skull and rose?” I finally asked. “It’s beautiful. What does it mean?” “Oh, lots of things.” He drew back, exhaling, a self-satisfied smile in place. “Mostly it’s a study in contrasts; light and dark, death and life, decay and beauty.” His expression turned thoughtful. “To me it also symbolizes good and evil. Placing it on my heart proves love conquers everything. Naturally I needed a rose on my body forever, too.” He kissed me, slow and sensuous, as if to make sure I didn’t misinterpret his innuendo. “When you saw Prince Nicolae’s tattoos you seemed intrigued, so I deduced you’d enjoy it. I hope that’s true.” I gave him a bemused look. “You’re free to ornament your body however you’d like. No permission needed.” “Truthfully, I thought it’d be a good reason for you to take my shirt off.” I grinned. Thomas enjoyed saying shocking things to gauge my response. There was no reason I couldn’t match him in that area. “Your deductions might not be as sharp as you think if you believe I lack motivation, Cresswell.” His jaw practically hit the floor. Immensely satisfied, I bent my head, kissing the inked area above his heart. With or without the rose tattoo as a permanent marking, Thomas Cresswell was mine. ...

that’s an ideal evening, then how, exactly, do you fit in?” “You’d be scantily clad in my lap; Sir Isaac would be in yours.” Thomas held fast to the cat as he ducked the snowball I tossed at him. “What? It’s my fantasy of our future!”

But, I—I’m not sure how to describe it. I want to share a name with you. Thomas doesn’t quite suit me, although you’d make a lovely Audrey Rose.” His laugh was full and rich. The cat twitched its tail and hopped to the ground, annoyed it was no longer the center of Thomas’s world. Once my love collected himself, he stepped near, holding my hands in his. “I would take your name, if you wanted to keep it.” He meant it, too. I pulled him to me and kissed him lightly. “Which is precisely the reason I’m happy to become a Cresswell. Now, let’s go. We’ve got a birthday party to attend and a rather fun announcement to make.” I looked at the cat. “You, too, Sir Isaac. Let’s be on our way. I have to put my gown on and I’m sure I can rustle up a rather dapper ribbon for you.” Lord help me, but the cat seemed to perk up

“You beautiful, brilliant, wonderful woman,” Thomas whispered, eyes going wide as he stuck his finger in the closest cake and tasted the frosting. I shook my head. He had the manners of an alley cat and the disposition of a child. “My God. Is that espresso frosting? I’ve never—” He inspected me in that Cresswell way of his. “Your creation?” “It was just an idea—I know how much you favor coffee, and it goes so well with chocolate…” Thomas kissed me, hard and deep, only stopping when someone cleared their throat across the room. We broke apart, both of us flushed, and waved shyly at our family members. Aunt Amelia, the likely culprit for the admonishment, tsked.

I smiled to myself. “You’ve truly bewitched me, Cresswell.” “Always nice to hear, though not entirely surprising, Wadsworth.”

“How is it you’re so… defined?” I asked, running my hands over his surprisingly hard chest. “Do you take secret sword lessons I ought to know about? This”—I motioned to him—“makes no sense.” “Truthfully?” Thomas laughed, seeming to release a bit of his own nerves. “I pick up cadavers every day in the laboratory. All that body-hauling business keeps me quite fit and healthy. Plus”—he kissed from my neck down to my collarbone, spending extra care and attention on the area nearest my heart—“I do take fencing lessons, as per my father’s wishes.” At my shocked look, he grinned. “I’ve warned you—expect a lifetime full of surprises, my love.” A rush went through me at those words. We truly would have an entire lifetime to unravel each mystery the other possessed. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and pressed my lips to his skin, exploring his expanse of chest. His breath caught and I found myself echoing the sound as he pulled the ribbons of my nightgown apart, his attention never leaving my face, constantly searching for any hint of hesitation, any silent plea to stop. He wouldn’t find it, not even while using his most impressive Cresswell deductions. In a few hours we’d be married, and I was ready to claim him entirely. In what seemed to be only seconds, we’d both stripped bare. A new sensation of heat began, almost indescribable in its intensity, as Thomas deepened our kiss and slowly, carefully lowered himself. Our bodies came together—and I was wholly cast under the spell of...

After, we lay in a tangle of limbs and bedsheets, our chests rising and falling in unison. Thomas drew idle circles across my stomach. I closed my eyes, allowing pure contentment to settle over me like a blanket. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect experience. It saddened me to think young noblewomen were sometimes instructed to lie back and “think of England” when consummating their marriages. Love ought to be a mutual delight. Thomas shifted his focus from my stomach to my hair, now running his fingers through my unbound locks, the motion soothing enough for my lids to suddenly feel too heavy to keep open. I closed my eyes, enjoying each careful stroke. I should love to spend eternity falling asleep and waking to this. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more content.” Thomas leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “Well, I can think of at least one other time I’ve felt perfectly content. And it may have been when you ravished me in the bathtub. Or that one time in the library.” I swatted at him, drawing a deep chuckle. “Right, that only happened in my dreams. This is by far one of my happiest memories.” I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m sorry I’ve been so afraid, Thomas.” “You know, I’m extraordinary when it comes to puzzling things out, but this is a bit of a mystery even for me. Also, it’s not at all what I’d imagined you saying directly after our first physical expression of love.” He played with my hair for a few quiet moments, twirling locks around his fingers as if th...

“Love is immortal. Death can neither touch nor steal it. Especially when it’s true. Let’s add another promise to our tally,” he said. “Promise me to wake each day and find joy wherever you can, no matter how small it may be. There will always be hard times and trying times and times for sorrow, but we won’t let those days destroy the here and now. Because right now? I’m here.” He kissed the top of my head. “And you’re here.” He pressed his lips to my knuckles. “And the present is more glorious than the future and all of its unknowns.” “How have you not figured out a formula for love yet?” I teased. “Have you no faith in my mighty brain? Of course I’ve worked out an equation only for us.” Thomas smiled. “My love for you will be a constant in a sea of unknown variables. We may fight or be cross with each other, but our love will never fade or wilt. Trust in that. Trust in us. Forget the future. Forget worry. The only thing that terrifies me is the possibility of living with regret. I don’t ever want to wake and wonder what life could have been like with you in it. I don’t ever want to regret holding myself back from loving you as fully and openly as possible.” He searched my eyes and part of me wished to fall into the depth of adoration I saw within his expression and swim in the feeling forever. “Unless you’ve changed your mind…” He quickly looked down. “I—” “Thomas, never—” I tilted his chin up until our eyes met and held. “I love you. Now and always.” Before he could doub...

Father clutched my arm, his eyes misting as he placed the veil over my face. “You’re a vision, my sweet child. Your mother would be overcome with pride. You look very much like her today.” He adjusted his diamond-pinned cravat and leaned in, whispering, “There’s a carriage waiting in the alley in case you’ve changed your mind. I’ll take care of the details.” I laughed, then quickly blinked tears away. Once I was certain I wouldn’t ruin my kohl, I looked at my father and smiled. He’d take me from this chapel at once, no questions or judgment, should I choose a different fate. And I loved him for it.

As if he’d crafted some magical tool to see into my mind, my father hugged me near, patting my head. “There, there, Audrey Rose. You’ll always be my darling baby girl. If you’re happy, then I am, too. I just wanted you to know that you have choices. Options. Whatever you’d like, I will make happen. As I ought to have done for you a long while ago.”

“You are exquisite, Audrey Rose,” he whispered. I allowed one more, indecently long assessment of his form, much to the priest’s dismay. His suit stretched across broad shoulders, and silver thread trimmed the collar, matching the silver whorls in his dark gray waistcoat. He was utterly magnificent.

“You’re devastatingly handsome, Thomas.” His grin was so radiant, he practically beamed.

“Will you, Thomas James Dorin cel Rău Cresswell, take Audrey Rose Aadhira Wadsworth to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?” Thomas gently ran his thumb over my knuckles. “I will.” The priest nodded. “Very good. Audrey—” “I will love and honor you every second, every minute, every hour of the day,” Thomas continued, stepping closer. “I vow to seek your counsel on all matters, both big and small, and to cherish you with each breath in my lungs. I promise to never make the same mistake twice, to make it my daily duty to see you smile, and to hold your hand through each challenge, each victory, and each new adventure this life brings our way.” He slipped a wedding band next to my engagement ring,

“From this day until my last, I vow to love and hold you, as my equal in all ways, Audrey Rose.”

“I will.” I pulled him nearer still, ignoring the disapproving grunt from the priest. “I promise to love and challenge you, to remind you to don warmth as much as you wear that cool, scientific exterior I adore so much. I vow to always remain the woman you fell in love with. I will honor you by never being afraid to express my opinion, to love you without limits, and to tell you each day of our lives how incredible you are. How kind and gentle and intelligent. I promise to love you with every part of me now until our next lifetime. I love you, Thomas James Dorin cel Rău Cresswell, now and forever more.”

anger. My hurt needed an outlet, and fury at least made me feel something other than hollow.

“I will love you until the world stops spinning or my heart ceases to beat, Thomas Cresswell. Even then I’m not sure my love will ever be content to leave you. But I won’t ever share a bed with someone who belongs to another. No matter how much I long to. Please do not ask that of me.”

Thomas smiled. “Terrified of clowns and spiders, but not devouring chocolate cake whilst elbows deep in morbid journals. You truly are my match, Wadsworth.” The corner of my mouth lifted,

The one question no one can answer is always, if Adam had been warned, why didn’t he pass the message along to his wife? Seems he was more to blame than she was. Yet Eve is always the villain, the wicked temptress who cursed us all.” “Who are you?” I asked, only half jesting. He stopped walking. “I am the man who will love you unto forever.” Before I could collapse from either swooning or chiding him for his flirtation, he quickly added, “I’m also a student of observation. And a brother. The truth, Miss Wadsworth, is I’ve watched my sister navigate the world of men. Doing so with more grace than I ever could, were I in her position. I’ve watched you do the same. Biting your tongue when I’d want nothing more than to bite the offender. I delight in pointing out areas where man has failed, even if it changes only one mind. Or if it changes none. At least I feel as though I’m fighting on the side of women, not against them. Everyone needs to take responsibility for their own failures.” I clutched his arm a bit tighter. “You’re remarkable when you choose to be, Cresswell.” He looked at me, a thoughtful expression crossing his features. “I long to live in a world where equal treatment is not something in need of commending.”

We were being reckless with our hearts and it would only lead to breaking them further. He needed to leave at once. Instead, I unbuttoned his shirt. I was no devil, but I never claimed to be an angel, either. “Now, I recall a discussion regarding another adventure.” He brought his mouth to mine, soft, teasing, and wholly intoxicating. “Before we left for the play, you seemed to want—” “—you, Thomas.” I pulled him to me, silencing him with a kiss. He needed no further instruction or permission. Tonight was about forgetting the rules. There was no right or wrong. Nothing but the two of us, giving into our base desires. He had us both out of our clothes faster and more efficiently than any sorcerer casting a spell.

“Audrey Rose.” He whispered across my skin, murmuring my name until I lost all sense of time and place. I gripped him, never wishing for us to part. I’d choose Hell each time if it meant experiencing this feeling with him. This euphoria. I refused to think of darkness and evil deeds. Tonight I’d focus on the way our bodies created the closest thing to Heaven I could imagine here on earth. I’d tried doing the correct thing: I’d pushed him away and my heart had torn in two. I was tired of denying what felt right. He and I were two pieces of our own private puzzle—we fit together perfectly. If that made us wicked, wanton things, so be it. I gladly accepted my fate.

“You’re not a monster, Thomas. You’re one of the most incredible people I know. If anything, you care too much for those around you. Even strangers.” He drew in a shaky breath and waited a minute before responding. “Thank you, my love. It’s one thing for someone else to tell you you’re good, but when you don’t believe it yourself…”

My dearest Audrey Rose, Poems and sonnets are meant to rhyme, but I find myself unable to pen anything other than the deepest longing of my soul. My world had been dark. I was so used to it that I’d grown accustomed to traversing through the lonely stretches of desolate land. When you entered my life, you shone brighter than the sun and stars combined. You warmed the frozen parts of me I’d feared were incapable of thawing. I’d been convinced I had a heart carved from ice until you smiled… and then it began to beat wildly. I cannot imagine my world without you in it now, because you are my entire universe. Happy Valentine’s Day, Wadsworth. You are and will forever remain my truest and only love. I hope, though I have no right to, that you will be mine. As I will always be Yours forever, Thomas My eyes brimmed with unshed tears and I clamped my jaws together to keep from crying. I didn’t think the proper way of thanking him for his thoughtfulness was to snot all over his suit. Horror washed into Thomas’s features. I tensed, unsure what had brought on his sudden shift. “I-I didn’t mean… you don’t have to—” He ran a hand through his hair, tousling his dark locks. “It’s all right if you don’t want to be mine. I-I understand our circumstances aren’t ideal. It’s—” Relief sluiced through me. He’d misunderstood the source of my tears. It was incredible that his powers of deduction were so lost when it came to reading my emotions. I touched his face gently, my hand fitting around th...

We were fortunate to have made it upstairs to my chambers before we expressed our love more thoroughly. I yanked his shirt open, buttons popping in all directions, and gave him an impish grin as he set me on the bed. He seemed anything but disturbed by my exuberance as he returned the favor and relieved me of my corset. Tonight he didn’t bother with slowly pulling its strings; he practically ripped it apart. I traced the outline of his tattoo first with my fingertips and then with my lips, never tiring of the way he gasped beneath my careful touch. If I lived to be one thousand years old, it would never feel like enough time with him. “I love you, Audrey Rose. More than all the stars in the universe.” Thomas erased all space between us and gazed down at me as if I were the most perfect person in existence. When he kissed me again, it was so sweet I nearly forgot my own name. It was a good thing he kept whispering it across my skin. I lightly trailed my nails down his spine and back up, marveling at the goose bumps that rose, the sensation seeming to drive him as wild as it drove me. He repeated my name like an incantation, his tone as reverent as those praising gods. He worshipped my mind and body until I, too, became a believer. Then he brought us both to another realm—one where we were nothing more than love in its purest physical form.

It all crashed into clarity for me—Thomas would no longer simply slip inside the mind-set of a murderer, should anything happen to me. He’d become one. He would destroy those who hurt me, and he’d feel nothing in the process of his methodical slaughter. I wanted to chide him for that, but knew I’d feel the same way should anyone hurt him. I’d disembowel the world and bathe in its blood if someone murdered him. We were a twisted pair indeed.

“Don’t leave me.” He felt around for my hand, unable to open his eyes. “Please. Promise you won’t leave me.” “Never.”

“I love you, Thomas Cresswell.” I kissed him gently, before straightening. I permitted myself another stolen moment alone with him, then forced myself to stand and leave his side. I needed to complete my task and be home before he awoke. Because I would come home to him again.

“I love you, Thomas Cresswell.” I kissed him gently. “With my whole heart.” “Beyond life. Beyond death”—he nuzzled my neck, whispering—“my love for thee is eternal.” “I adore when you say that.” I smiled against his lips. “Tell me, though. How long have you been practicing it for this moment?” He nipped at my neck, eyes brimming with mirth. “Not nearly half as long as I’ve been plotting our next adventure, you delightfully cruel thing.”

He shook his head. “I realized I’d never asked you properly. And then the debacle at the church…” His voice trailed off as he looked at the ring. “If you’ve changed your mind about taking my name, it won’t bother me. I only want you. Forever.” “You have me.” I touched the curve of his lips,

“Audrey Rose Wadsworth, love of my heart and soul, I long to spend forever with you by my side. If you’ll have me. Will you do me the tremendous honor of—” I wrapped my arms around his neck, our lips brushing as I whispered, “Yes. A million times over, Thomas Cresswell. I want to spend forever adventuring with you.”

Thomas took a deep breath and stepped closer, his smile genuine and sweet. It was amazing to me, after these past few years of exploring the world and each curve of our bodies, that he might still appear so shy. So blissfully, beamingly in love. He looked upon me today the way he’d done from the moment we both knew there was no turning back, no fighting our fate. He and I were two stars in the same constellation, destined to shine brightly together each night of forever.

“You are my heart, my soul, my equal. You see the light in me when I’m lost within darkness. When I’m cold and distant, you’re as warm as autumn sunshine, bathing me in your glow. If I am the night, then you are the stars lighting up my endless dark.” His voice broke, wrenching my heart. “My best friend, the absolute love of my life, now until forevermore, I call you my wife.” This time—with just the gilded clouds and autumn-colored tree branches swaying in the soft twilight breeze, along with our joyous families on this private estate—there was no one to interrupt Thomas as he slipped the wedding band over my finger. “Beyond life, beyond death,” he whispered, his breath warm against my ear, “my love for thee is eternal, Audrey Rose Cresswell.”

I placed the ring on his finger, never taking my attention from his; I didn’t want to miss one second of this moment. His lips quirked crookedly and I knew, without a doubt, that he’d read the same promises in my face. I could not wait to spend forever with my best friend, the dark prince of my heart. “I do.”