Ride Along ✅

Epilogue

4 Years Later...

"Freeze" I shout, holding my gun out in front of me while I wait for the suspect to surrender. He drops his gun begrudgingly and I smirk victoriously as I turn to face my partner. "Cuff him."

"When did you become the bossy one?" he asks as he walks towards the man and puts his hands into cuffs. I holster my gun and watch as he hands off the suspect to the local authorities while I lean against the undercover squad car. He walks towards me and my smirk twists into a megawatt smile as he approaches me. "Good job officer" he compliments and I shrug as I wrap my arms around his neck.

"All in a day's work, partner" I reply, leaning up to press my lips to his. Josh smiles against my lips and my heart flutters like it's the first time we've done this. He pulls away and caresses the curve of my hips as he pulls me closer.

"You ready to head back to the station?" he asks curiously.

"Only if you let me drive" I reply teasingly as I hold my hand out for the keys. Josh hated my driving as it usually resulted in me making a few dangerous turns but we always got to our destination safely so he couldn't argue.

"Babe-."

"Josh" I whine in protest and he sighs, digging into his pocket and dropping the keys into my hand.

"You're lucky I love you" he groans as we separate and head to our respective sides of the car. I put the key in the ignition but stop from putting the car in drive when my phone blares from my pocket. I pull it out and sigh as I stare down at the screen. "What?" he asks curiously.

"Just another wasted month" I reply in annoyance as I toss my phone into the console. Josh takes my phone and looks at the notification from my fertility app.

"It says we have like...a few minutes" he says positivily but I roll my eyes.

A year ago Josh and I slipped up and I ended up getting pregnant. It was terrifying but it quickly became the happiest time in my life...until I miscarried. After a million tests my doctors had come back with the harsh truth that having my own children just might not be in the cards for me but that if I were to have any sort of chance it had to be now, which is why despite not even being engaged Josh and I were trying to conceive.

"And how do you expect us to get that accomplished when we haven't even clocked out of work yet?"

He smirks. "The windows are tinted and we are in an empty parking lot" he says making my eyes widen as a chuckle falls from my lips.

"Joshua Matthews we are not going at it in the squad car!"

He shrugs. "Why not? The idea turned you on when we were younger."

"I was eighteen! Twenty-two year old me is much more mature and has more common sense."

"Sure she does" he teases. "Come on babe. What if this is the month?" he asks and he knows he's got me. I wanted a baby more than anything and I had to admit that I loved Josh in his uniform.

"Fine" I concede. "But we have to be quick" I add as I move to straddle his lap.

~ 🚔 ~

When we get back to the office my girlfriend is absolutely glowing and I can't help the grin that spreads acorss my lips. "Took you long enough to make it back" Isla complains as she looks up from her desk. "The boss is looking for you both" she adds.

Maya and I share a look as we make our way towards his office. Aaron is sitting at his desk when we walk in and his eyes light up as I close the door behind my girlfriend. "Just the agents I wanted to see. Take a seat" he insists.

Maya and I take a seat at the table and her hand fidgets in her lap. I reach out and take her hand in mine, squeezing it gently while we wait ti hear what our boss has to say.

"I have an assignment for you Maya but I'm aware of your person relationship with your partner so I've asked him to join us for this conversation."

She looks towards me uneasily and I try to reassure her with an comforting smile. In all our time together I had rarely seen her this nervous...except maybe while she was still in high school.

"There's an undercover operation at the local high school. It seems that there's been an influx of Ritalin distribution and the department wants to infiltrate the school."

"And you want me?" Maya asks in shock. It was no secret that she was the best on the force so it wasn't that I was shocked that she was chosen but suddenly all our plans spiral down the drain. Undercover operations could last anywhere between a few hours to years and there was no way we could start our family under these circumstances.

"Sir I'm honored" Maya says happily, "but this is just" she sighs, looking towards me. "It's horrible timing. We're trying to start a family and this hardly seems like an environment that would allow for that to happen."

"It would only be until the end of the school year. It's already nearing February! It's not as if you'd be far along, certainly early enough in your pregnancy to hide it and it shouldn't become dangerous-."

"Shouldn't" I interject. "But it could."

"We have measures in place Matthews. I promise this is a safe operation and Miss Hunter will come to no harm."

She looks towards me with her lip between her teeth and I know she wants this. I sigh, nodding my consent. "Fine, but if it so much as a threat to her safety comes to light then she's done. I almost lost her once and I'm not going through that again."

Maya squeezes my hand and glance over at her. She was my whole world, I couldn't lose her.

"Deal" Aaron agrees easily. "I'll have more details in a few weeks but for now you're both dismissed."

~ 🚔 ~

"Hey gorgeous" Josh smiles as he takes a seat in the porch beside me. "Whatcha doing?"

"Thinking" I hum in response. "You don't think I'm being selfish in choosing this assignment do you?" I ask worriedly. He shakes his head as he wraps his arm around me.

"I think you're an incredible agent and you'd be crazy not to take the assignment" he replies. "I wasn't upset in that room today I was just concerned. You're my whole life and I can't lose you."

I smile as I lean into him. "You'll never lose me" I murmur as I reach up and press my lips to his until he pulls away all too quickly.

"I was kinda hoping you felt that way" he murmurs and suddenly my eyes flicker down to a ring box situated between us. My eyes widen and tears fill my eyes as I place my hand over my mouth in shock. "Maya Penelope Hunter, will you marry me?"

I can't form words as I stare down at him so I give him my answer the only way I physically can in that moment by pressing my lips to his.

"Is that a yes?" he asks teasingly as we pull apart.

"Absolutely" I agree as he pulls me in for another kiss.

A/N: Gosh I can't believe this book is over! This book started as a random idea that I just couldn't get out of my head so I had to get it out on paper (or on my laptop) and once it started it couldn't be stopped. I honestly cannot put into words how much this story means to me and I just want to thank all of you for giving it a chance and loving it just as much as I do. And don't forget to check out the sequel Undercover!