Page 165 of The Finish Line

She glances up at me, brows drawn. “For?”

My insides rattle as I grip her to me. In her eyes, I see it all, including my redemption.

“Life.”

“We’re negotiating life?” She cups my face as emotions swell inside me, past the point of holding it. I choke several times before I’m able to speak.

“Tobias, what is it?”

“I love you.”

“I know. Please tell me what’s going on. You’re scaring me.”

“Don’t be scared. I have a favor to ask.”

She sobers considerably when she sees the visible change in me. “Okay, I’m listening.”

“I’m done scaring you. Completely fucking done. I’m done making you worry. I’m done plotting. I’m done with the board altogether.”

“You’re serious?”

“We’ll never be fully done. You know that. But I’m done with every part of the heavy lifting.”

She swallows. “Okay.”

I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. Her eyes fixed on where my lips caress her skin before I open her palm and place the sand dollar inside it. “I’ve been saving this for you. For today.”

“It’s beautiful.” She runs her finger over the shell.

“My father reminded me of a memory the last time I saw him. It was the day on the beach, the only memory I have with him. Break it in half. Right down the middle.” I cup my hands beneath it to catch the spoils.

She snaps the dollar in half, and the contents fall in my palm. I give a nod to luck when five perfect bone-shaped doves appear in my palm. She studies the evidence in my hand and lifts one to inspect it. “They look like little birds.”

“Kind of ironic, isn’t it? Even before I knew what my destiny was, it was handed to me by a man I never really knew. What’s even more ironic is that these birds represent the five of us.” I lift the birds one by one. “Me, Sean, Tyler, Dom, and you. The beginning and the end—even though technically they’re doves—in the religious sense, they represent sacrifice and peace.”

“I didn’t know that,” she says softly, studying the pieces, “that’s... really beautiful.” She lifts her deep ocean eyes to mine.

“It’s time to change our wings, Cecelia.”

Her lips start to tremble, and I know she’s feeding off my emotions. We’ve reached a point in our union where there isn’t an ounce of separation. We’ve been one for a long time.

I take the birds from the dollar and set them on the balcony.

“You,” I manage to strangle out through the ball in my throat, “you did this for me. I demanded the sacrifice, but you, Cecelia, you brought the peace.”

Her eyes glisten as a suggestive smile plays on her lips. “Have you been drinking?”

“Not a drop.”

“Sorry, it’s just that you rarely get this sentimental unless—”

“Not this time.” I close my eyes and hang my head as more emotions seep from me. All I feel for her is raging in my head and chest and refusing to be held back a second longer. “I don’t need alcohol, and I don’t need to hide anything from you.”

“Tobias, what are you saying?”

“Where I go, you’ll go?”

“I’ll follow you anywhere,” she assures without hesitation. “You know that.”