Nightfall (Devil's Night, #4)

by Penelope Douglas

After I’d found a room and made my call with Erika’s phone, they pounded on the door, insisting to stay with me because the “pampered little know-it-alls who thought their shit didn’t stink aren’t getting a piece of you.” As if Micah and Rory weren’t a little pampered themselves.

aw

They could all do whatever they wanted in high school, and now years later in Thunder Bay, because Damon was right. The villain was just a matter of perspective. It was as easy as pie for them to judge me, because on the rare occasion they weren’t doing fucked-up shit themselves, they got these splendid little attacks of sanctimony when it came to anyone outside their little group.

you’re so fucking right…please call them out

I spotted a courier outside and opened my mouth to tell the guys I’d see them in a while, but then, all of a sudden, a punch landed in my gut, and I hunched over, barely registering Damon moving to Kai, and then Michael next. He threw a punch across Kai’s jaw and landed an uppercut right in Michael’s stomach. “Ugh!” Michael growled as I winced. “Man, what the fuck?” Kai barked, rubbing his face. I looked up at Damon, the pain in my abs like a knot tightening over and over again. He inhaled a deep breath, fixing the lapels of his suit jacket. “I’d rather not walk in on my sisters in some weirdo, bacchanalian sex fest ever again,” he stated. “Understand?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Spinning around with his lips tight, he stalked off the train as the rest of us tried to stand up straight again. Shit. He saw that last night? Fuck. “I keep forgetting those are his sisters,” Michael said, rubbing his stomach. Kai started laughing, shaking his head. “Crap . . .” We all started laughing, an image of him walking in and then promptly back out replaying over and over again in my head. How had we not seen him? Poor D.

lol

I shook with silent sobs, looking at his beautiful face as tears streamed down my own. Damon had done all this without me. He was doing so well—without me. I should’ve been here when the kid was born. I should know Madden.

She hadn’t needed a boyfriend. She’d needed a friend, and I’d been selfish and arrogant and spoiled. I should’ve been whatever she needed, whenever she needed me. She didn’t owe me her heart just because I wanted it. If I’d cared, I would’ve been more patient.

“Um . . .” someone said, and I blinked, noticing the car had stopped. “Okay, wow. I . . . um . . . I’d love to watch this, actually,” Damon called out, “but Winter will consider it cheating if she’s not here, too. I’ll go ahead and walk home, and you fucking owe me, Will.”

lol

“I don’t need the Cove,” he said over the rain. “I need more memories with you.”

“I build with you now,” he whispered to me, the heat of his mouth on my lips. “We make Thunder Bay together, Em. I love you.”

“You came for me,” he said. Yes. Yes, I did. I didn’t need to search for an excuse. I knew why. “I couldn’t lose you anymore,” I told him,

I fucking loved Will Grayson. I wanted to eat every meal with him, have that damn Mission: Impossible marathon with him, and let him knock me up as soon and as much as he

“Will you marry me?” I asked, breathing hard and my heart hammering. Slowly, I climbed to my feet and turned to face him, seeing him stopped. He stood there, frozen, not turning around, but that was okay. I wasn’t sure I could do this if he looked at me. God, my mouth was so dry I couldn’t swallow. “I love you,” I said, and I could see people filming us with their phones out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t care. “I’m wild crazy for you, and I’m sure I’ll kill you at some point, but . . . God, I love you so much, and I want you to marry me.” More tears streamed down my face as I choked out the words. “Marry me, Will Grayson.” I rushed up and hugged his back, wrapping my arms around him. “Can you marry me? Can I marry you?”

“Is that a yes?” He chuckled and dropped me to my feet. I blinked against the rain, watching him dig into his pocket for something. He pulled it out, pinching a vintage Victorian ring with a teardrop diamond and a platinum band encrusted with more jewels, encased by an ornate setting above and below. It was almost like three rings in one, and nearly an inch in width. “It’s very old,” Will said, slipping it onto my finger, his hand shaking. “It’s your family’s?” “It’s yours now.” He met my eyes. “It’s been yours for nearly ten years.”

“You and me against the world,” he whispered, picking up speed and going harder. “Always,” I said. And I held on as he slipped inside of me again and again, thrusting between my legs, both of us lost for the rest of the night in the warmth and frenzy of finally being together.

I mean, what the fuck? I just got her back, and fear was nipping at the corner of my brain, worried that she’d change her mind about marrying me if I couldn’t periodically remind her how hot I was.

Damon put his finger under her chin and pushed, forcing her to lift her eyes up. “Chin up,” he bit out. “And stop being a mouse. You’re my mother, for Christ’s sake.”

🥹

I trusted myself now. I wasn’t leaving, and I wasn’t hiding. Happy people don’t fear death, because there’s nothing more they want out of life than what they have right now. I smiled because I didn’t have any fear. Finally, I was free.

“I have to tell Will about that night,” I said. “I just wanted to warn you.” His back went rigid, and he didn’t turn to look at me, but he knew what I was talking about. I couldn’t keep the fact that I’d helped conceal a body from Will. Damon sighed. “I appreciate the heads-up. I’ll be waiting for the beating.” I laughed. “Just keep Winter close. He won’t hit you with a pregnant woman nearby.” He shook his head and kept walking. “He’ll just get her to hit me for him,” he grumbled.

“What?” Damon shouted from inside the room. We all stopped, looking at each other. “It’s a boy?” he blurted out. “Are you sure?” We leaned in, and I folded my lips between my teeth to contain the laughter. A baby cried, there was some shuffling, and then we heard Damon’s playful little growl. “Ugh, what am I going to do with you?” “Damon!” Winter growled. “I’m going to kill you. You better love him. You do, right?” There was a pause, and I met Alex’s wide eyes with my own. Drama . . . Damon and I ran the construction business together now, him building and me designing, so I’d gotten used to his . . . brand of humor. Finally, he answered. “Y–yeah,” he stuttered, not sounding convincing. “Yeah, of course, baby. But, like, are you sure there aren’t any more in there or something?” “Damon!”

lmfao this man’s unreal sometimes

“Are you ready?” He grabbed me and kissed me, laughing against my lips. “I am never not ready for anything with you.” And with the long, hard road it took to get us here, I’d never trusted any other words more. I kissed him, nothing clouding my happiness with him for another second ever again. This was always our story. We want what we want.

worth it.

the

four books ago, damon would be the last person you’d expect to saying smth like this