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"Please, please. Oh, God, please," she begs.

"Give it to me, songbird." I bite the side of her throat, snapping my hips forward hard. "Right now."

She shatters with a broken scream, clamping around my cock like a vise. I roar, pinning her wrists above her head as I go wild for her, fucking her through it like a madman. The bed rattles beneath us, every punishing thrust pulling another choked cry from her perfect lips.

Her teeth sink into my shoulder as she comes undone for me a second time. I snarl her name, planting myself deep as pain and pleasure send me hurtling over the edge with her. I come hard, planted so deep I can't breathe. I can't move. All I can do is gasp her name, my body shaking as I give her everything, all the way to my soul.

"Marry me," I whisper a little while later, tracing patterns across her back with my fingertips. She's plastered across my chest, her head over my heart like she's counting the beats.

Her body goes still, even her breathing cutting off for a moment. And then she exhales a shuddering breath, lifting luminous eyes to mine. "What?"

"Marry me, songbird," I repeat. "When we leave here, do it as my wife."

"I…are you sure?" She blinks at me like an adorable little owl, all sweet and confused. "I mean, you don't have to—"

"I've never been more certain of anything than I am of you. I'm not asking because I'm worried. I'm not asking because I'm jealous or anxious or any of that bullshit, either." I stroke my thumb down her cheek, then across her bottom lip. "I want you tied to me every which way you can be tied to me because it's right. We're right. This is right."

She stares at me with wide eyes.

"When you sign that contract and walk toward your future, I want you walking with your hand in mine, knowing I'm permanent. That, no matter what, you've got me. I'll follow you, songbird. I'll chase you. I'll walk beside you wherever you lead," I murmur. "Marry me."

Tears well in her eyes, one spilling down her cheek. "Yes."

Jesus.

My eyes fall closed, a wave of emotion coursing through me hard enough to choke me.

"Yes, I'll marry you, Bishop," she says, sobbing and laughing at the same time.

I pull her into my arms, rolling her beneath me to bury my face in her throat. My body shudders on top of hers as she clings to me. Maybe my pops had it right all along. This feeling right here is worth anything.

Hell, it's worth everything.

Chapter Twelve

Callie

"If you keep teasing me like that," Bishop rumbles, his eyes locked on mine in the mirrors, "you won't be practicing much longer, songbird."

"Really?" My lips curve into a grin. "Maybe that's the point, Cowboy. Did you ever think of that?"

My heart thuds against my ribcage when he immediately pushes away from the wall, taking a dangerous step toward me. His eyes climb up and down my body, setting me on fire. God, I love the way he looks at me like he's imagining every filthy thing he wants to do to me. I especially love the way his eyes linger for a moment on the diamond glittering on my finger. He looks so satisfied every time he sees it there.

I'll never get tired of that look.

The wooden floor vibrates under his boots as he prowls toward me, wordless. I stand my ground, refusing to back down or run from him. I know that look in his eyes spells trouble. But it's my favorite kind of trouble, and I'm just itching to unleash it until his marks and his memory are branded in my skin and on my heart.

He's two steps away when the door to the studio swings open.

My stomach plummets into my toes when Cody steps inside.

"Fuck," Bishop growls, closing the distance between us in two steps. He places his big body between me and Cody like a living shield, every muscle tense.

"Hey," Cody says, his voice soft. "I didn't come to cause problems. I just came to talk."

"You can do it from there," Bishop growls, his voice hard.

I place a hand on his back, stepping up beside him. "It's okay," I whisper when he glances down at me. "I'm okay."