Page 147 of A Stop in Time
“Till the end of time.” I rest my forehead against hers. “And then some.”
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MAC
A Few Months Later
It’s small, low-key, and intimate, just the way we’d wanted it.
A justice of the peace wedding with only those closest to us attending. Bronson and his wife, Georgia, Angela, who’s Daniel’s “mom” for all intents and purposes, Steve, Annalee, and Mammy.
Standing beside Daniel, before the ceremony officially begins, I give in to the urge to press my thumb and finger together. Everything around me goes utterly still, covering us with a blanket of silence.
I stare at the face of the man I’m about to marry, the man who made me so eager to stop time and soak up this moment.
Features that are normally stamped with a dark ruthlessness are now softened with love. The sensual curve of the mouth that all too often whispers filthy things to me, and eyes that hold the power to singe me with their heat are both fixed on me and gleaming with affection.
Life. It’s so utterly precious, because we can never experience the same thing twice. It’s why I needed to do this and bask in it. Because once it passes, I’ll never have the chance to relive it.
When I reach up to cradle the side of his face with my hand, he blinks twice at me before darting a glance around us.
Even as his brow furrows, his fingers encircle my wrist, and he turns his head to plant a kiss to the center of my palm. He does this absently, as if it’s instinctive, and it makes my heart melt even more.
“You okay?” His husky murmured words dance over me, concern etching his features.
I nod. “I just wanted to take a moment to look at the man I’m about to marry.” My face falls to a mask of disappointment before I add on a whimsical sigh, “The man who’s going to deprive me of beef sticks.”
Amusement shimmers in his eyes, and he shakes his head. “I’ll make sure you’re so satisfied, you won’t even think of those damn things.” He punctuates that with a hot kiss.
Daniel takes my hand, thumb grazing over the new tattoo I have in lieu of an actual band. It’s a small hourglass nestled inside an infinity symbol. Till the end of time. A matching one is inked on his own ring finger.
“Ready to make it official?” His raspy murmur washes against my lips.
“With you?” Happiness and his love envelop me. “I’m ready for anything.”
Minutes later, we exit the courthouse, his fingers linked with mine. I’m now Mackenzie Madrano.
It seems so surreal, but I suppose fate had its own plans all along.
I once believed he’d simply pass through my life, like barely a blip on my radar. I assumed that we were merely a stop in time. But it makes perfect sense that a woman like me ended up with a man like him. We’ve both had to do unthinkable things to free ourselves from the danger and pain of our pasts.
Our journey may have been woven with grief, but it’s also intertwined with thick, wide threads of strength and determination. Most of all, though, it’s reinforced with love.
Daniel Madrano set me on the path to realizing I’m more than the scars that encompass much of my body. That I’m not just a freak who has the power to stop time.
He’s taught me that my scars are a sign of my strength, of the determination I held on to even when I had no control. He’s taught me to see the beauty in my marred skin.
Now, when I stop time, it’s not because I need to hide or escape. It’s to cherish the wonder of a given moment or to bask in the peaceful stillness it brings. My ability no longer makes me a freak; it makes me special. It’s a gift, and one I now treasure.
And on the dark days, when the past rears its ugly head to plague me with doubts, he reminds me that regrets have no place in our lives.
He reminds me that I’ve sacrificed to help others, just like he continues to do for The Scorpions and their community. That, deep down, beneath the blood that we’ve each shed, we are good people.
At the end of the day, we both know we’ve created a life together that we’re proud of.
And if that means we live a life that others don’t understand…that’s just fine with us.
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