hi babies:)
two updates in one week? lol you guys def deserve it since it had been almost 10 months prior to an update last chapter.
Ryan's POV
I held Mary Alice in my arms as she whined. She was a beautiful little baby and sprouts of curly brown hair were growing on her head. Regardless, she was a loud baby. I walked to the gym and found Bella running on the treadmill. A pretty picture of Nicole hung neatly in a picture frame on the wall, right in front of the tread mill. I knew Bella was admiring that picture.
"Why've you been working out so hard lately?" I asked.
"Because, I have to burn all this pregnancy fat off."
"Baby you know you're beautiful with or without." She rolled her eyes, completely ignoring my words.
"It doesn't matter. I wanna be skinny like I used to be," she said, breathing loudly.
"Oh Bella, you're anxious ass is gonna choose the gym over me from now on." I was right.
I left the gym room and walked back into our bedroom. My phone was ringing. I sat Mary Alice back in her crib and checked my phone. It was my old friend Carter from high school.
"Hey man, what's up?" I asked.
"Ryan man it's been so long. How have you been dude?"
"I've been pretty good," I chuckled, "I'm usually pretty busy but lately I haven't had much to do. What about you?"
"Eh. I've finally been seeing this new girl. I'm no longer heading to the bars for one night stands, so I guess that's a good thing." I heard him laugh.
"Oh yeah, that's right I remember you and I used to do that. Except I never got any women because I got too scared." We both chuckled.
"Yeah. Best friends we were. We should really meet up sometime soon for coffee or something and catch up."
"Yeah. I'd like that."
"What's this I hear about you dating a girl ten years younger than you?" he inquired, curiosity tweaking in his voice.
"Eight years, Carter, but yeah she was Nicole's best friend. She's damn good looking and we already have a kid. Beautiful Mary Alice," I said.
"Oh yeah. How's Nicole by the way? I remember her and I used to laugh around all the time. She was a cool girl."
A little piece of my heart broke as I said the words, "She's dead."
"What? Dude you're kidding."
"No. I'm not. That's why I'm quitting the mafia soon. Sure it pays good but it wasn't worth seeing my cousins death. And I'm not gonna be able to live with myself if I ever had to see my girlfriend or daughter die." I could hear him sigh in the background.
"Man I'm so sorry about that. She was so cool and you're right, ain't no money worth love. Shit it was cool as fuck though knowing you were in the mafia."
"It's okay." The silence was deafening.
"Well man I just just calling to check up on you. I'll text you sometime soon and we'll go out to catch up." I could hear a woman talking blatantly in the background.
"Absolutely. Talk to you later Carter," I said, peeling the phone from my ear.
I vaguely heard him say, "See you later," before hanging up.
It felt good to rekindle an old friendship. Carter has always been a good friend, not necessarily a best friend but definitely someone I could rely on. He and I had the best times hanging out in our teenage years. We always goofed around town, doing everything we could thinkable to get in trouble by the cops. Perhaps that's where my fascination with rebellion started that led me to the mafia. Or maybe it was the lack of love I received growing up that led me to believing hate was the only raw emotion one should have for human beings. Which then led to my liking of guns, and then killing.
I walked over to my dresser and opened the top drawer. I fumbled through pairs of socks and grabbed the little felt black box. The one that I'd need to be holding in my hands bent down one knee asking the question I've been waiting to ask since I met this girl. A little part of me knew that even when I met my fiesty little Bella she was going to be mine. I suppose I knew that from the beginning. The first words spoken to each other were the first words since my heart starting truly beating.
She was my best friend.
My lover.
My soon to be fiancé.
And I couldn't be more happy to see the smile on her face when I bent down on one knee. She deserved the happiness. And in asking that question, I would not only be promising my love and support for her - but myself as a whole. My protection, my constant comfort to her well being, and so much more. She deserved that.
And I was totally ready. I knew she was ready too. We'd been waiting for this moment for so long. I had been planning for months now how I was going to do it. I knew I needed it to be special. That was the only way it could be done. I knew Bella would like it that way.
And I knew exactly how I was going to do it.
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omg i'm so excited for ryan to pop the question!!! are you guys?
this book has been ongoing for... wow almost three years now lol. and we are finally nearing an end! i know i said that like three of four chapters ago but i promise we are. im not saying i WANT this book to be finished... but i kinda do considering i have other book ideas to work on and my other current books in progress.
thank you guys so much for reading, voting, and commenting i seriously appreciate it and thank you for almost 100k reads <3 it's a dream!!
xx
CloudiLynn