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“It’s been a long time since the memories stopped plaguing me, since I’ve slept through the night. Since I’ve been this happy. You’ve helped me see I’m more than the girl I was. And that I deserve more.”

“I’m proud of you,” he said, his arms tightening around her.

They lay in comfortable silence for a while, and Elena felt something settle in her chest—a sense of rightness, of being exactly where she was supposed to be.

“I need to tell you something,” Brock said finally.

She lifted her head to look at him, nervous at the seriousness in his tone.

“What?”

“I bought out the remainder of my Navy contract.”

Elena’s breath caught. “You what?”

“I called in some favors, paid the buyout fee, signed about a hundred forms.” His hand cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. “I’m officially a civilian as of yesterday. Atticus offered me a permanent position with Dynamis, and I accepted.”

“Brock, your career⁠—”

“Is exactly where I want it to be.” His hazel-green eyes were steady on hers. “I’m tired of moving from base to base, never putting down roots, never having anything that mattered more than the next mission. I don’t want that anymore.”

“What do you want?”

“You.” The word was simple, absolute. “I want you. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to come home to you after missions instead of an empty barracks. I want to build a life with you, here in Dallas, with Dynamis, with people who’ve become family.” He pulled her closer. “I want everything, Elena. With you.”

Tears pricked her eyes. “Are you sure? The Navy is all you’ve known for⁠—”

“Twenty years. I know.” He smiled. “And it was good. I’m grateful for my service. But I’m ready for something different now. I’m ready for this. For us.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too.” He shifted, reaching for something in the pocket of his jeans on the floor beside the bed. “Which is why I need to ask you something.”

Elena’s heart stopped as he reached down to the side of the bed and pulled a small ring box out of the pocket of his BDUs.

“This isn’t exactly how I planned this,” he said, opening the box to reveal a simple platinum band with a single square diamond. “I was going to wait until we were dressed and I’d showered and I could do this properly. But lying here with you, knowing we have our whole future ahead of us—this feels right.”

The tears were falling now, but she was smiling through them.

“Will you marry me?”

She looked at the ring, then at his face—this man who’d found her when she’d been taken, who’d believed in her strength when she couldn’t believe in it herself. This man who’d given up his career to build a life with her.

“Oh, yes,” she said, laughter amid the tears.

He slipped the ring onto her finger, and it fit perfectly. Of course it did. He’d probably measured while she was sleeping. The thought made her laugh again.

“What?” he asked, grinning.

“You’re very thorough.”

“I’m a SEAL. Preparation is everything.” He pulled her back down against him, kissing her slowly, deeply. “Besides, I’ve been planning this for weeks. Since before I left for the Middle East.”

“You were that sure I’d say yes?”

“I was that hopeful.” His hand moved through her hair, tender and possessive at once. “And that determined to spend the rest of my life convincing you if you’d said no.”

Elena looked at the ring on her finger, then at the man holding her. She’d once thought her life was over. Thought the darkness would consume her. But she’d survived. She’d rebuilt. And somehow, impossibly, she’d found this—love and safety and a future she’d never dared to dream about.

“What are you thinking?” Brock asked.

“That my nightmares have been replaced by good dreams. I’ve been dreaming about a wedding. A home. Maybe kids someday. A life.”

“We can have all of that,” he said. “Whatever you want. However long it takes. We’ve got time now.”

“We do, don’t we?” She smiled, feeling lighter than she had in years. “All the time in the world.”

Outside her window, Dallas settled into evening—car horns and distant sirens, the sounds of life continuing. Tomorrow she’d go back to work at Dynamis. Tomorrow there would be missions and briefings and the dangerous work they did. But tonight, there was just this. Just them. Just the quiet certainty of love freely given and gratefully received.

Brock pulled her closer, and Elena closed her eyes, feeling his heartbeat steady beneath her cheek. No nightmares tonight. Just dreams of what came next.

Just happiness.

Just home.