And those silvery lines on her sides and lower belly made me want to beat my fucking fists off my chest. She was my woman. She'd grown my child inside of her body. I fucking loved looking at those silver lines. Those were the only marks a man was supposed to put on his woman's body.

"That's the really fucked up thing about love," he said. "When it's real. When it is really honest to god love, you'll know that she's both. She's gonna ruin you and save you all in one breath."

Light and warmth filled my soul. I closed my blue eyes and thought of his green ones.

She'd never know about the engagement ring I planned to give her after we kissed the Blarney Stone in Cork. Or the cruise I'd booked for us to take on the river Shannon.

Kyle called her his princess but she was his fucking queen and he protected her like their lives were a chess game.

"The first regret I have is failing through inability. My second regret is failing through ability."

You're his biggest risk, his deepest fear and his greatest accomplishment all rolled into one.