Audacious//JJ Maybank (Outerbanks)

Chapter 118

The cold air outside stings my skin, but it feels good to have some space, some quiet to try and process everything. My mind races—JJ's mom's grave, the Mogador Scroll, the Corsairs hunting us down, and now Morocco? It's all spiraling out of control, and the weight of it presses down on my chest.

After a few minutes, I hear the door creak open behind me, and I glance back to see JJ stepping outside, hands in his pockets, his eyes heavy with something like regret. I give him a look, shaking my head, my anger bubbling up before I can hold it back.

"JJ, what were you thinking?" My voice comes out harsher than I intended. "Breaking the town hall window? Now you're a wanted fugitive. If they catch you and you go to jail, that's it. You're done."

He shrugs, his expression tense, but he won't meet my eyes. "Didn't think it would turn out this way," he mutters, kicking at the gravel. "I didn't think they'd actually put out a warrant. I just... I was angry, alright?"

I stare at him, feeling torn between frustration and fear. "You being angry doesn't change the fact that now we're in deeper trouble. And now we might have to go to Morocco to dig up some legendary artifact, and that's even more time away from Suzie and—"

I break off, biting my lip, the words catching in my throat. Suzie. I've already missed so much time with her, and now we're talking about crossing continents, chasing down some mythical crown that may or may not even exist. It all feels too much, too impossible.

JJ looks up at me, his face softening. He takes a hesitant step closer. "Look, I get it. I get that you're scared, and I know how much Suzie means to you. But... I can't just leave things like this. If this crown thing's real... it could change everything. It could be our way out, for all of us."

I want to argue, to tell him how reckless he's being, but the desperation in his voice stops me. He's right about one thing—we're in too deep to just walk away. I look down, feeling the cold sink into my skin.

After a moment, I nod slowly. "Fine. But we can't keep doing things like this, JJ. If we're going to Morocco, we need a plan. No more risks. No more reckless moves."

He nods, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "I promise. And... for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose any of you."

We stand there for a moment, the weight of what's ahead settling over us. There's so much unknown, so much at stake, but as long as we have each other, maybe—just maybe—we have a chance.

JJ pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me as if he never wants to let go. "Once this is done," he whispers into my hair, "I'm done. We'll come back, get Suzie, and leave the Outer Banks behind. We'll finally be a family. Just us."

I close my eyes, letting myself imagine that life—the three of us together, somewhere quiet, somewhere safe. After everything we've been through, the thought of peace sounds almost unreal. I take a deep breath, then nod, agreeing. "Okay," I whisper. "We'll be a family."

JJ pulls back slightly, his eyes holding that familiar glint of mischief as he reaches into his pocket. "Actually... I have something for you."

I raise an eyebrow, caught off guard. "You what?"

He chuckles, his smile both nervous and excited, then, before I can process it, he drops down on one knee, his hand reaching into his pocket to reveal a small box. My hands fly to my mouth as I realize what's happening, my heart pounding. JJ opens the box to reveal a diamond ring—beautiful, shining, and so unexpected.

"Where did you get that?" I breathe, barely holding back a laugh. "That looks expensive."

JJ grins, a touch of his old cockiness slipping through. "Picked it up on my adventures," he says, winking. I roll my eyes, playfully nudging him, but he just laughs, seeming more like himself than I've seen in a long time.