Going Home.

Chapter 30

As I sat on the end of our bed feeding Jae, I can hear that the party is in full swing and I wonder what Carrie actually ever needs me for when it comes to these things as she seems to always be able to pull an event out of her arse on a limited budget.

Heck, I doubt that Xavier would care anyhow what Carrie spent as long as he doesn't have to do the work.

I am staring towards the bathroom where Ryker is stepping out of the shower. I just watch him as he grabs a towel and runs it over himself, drying his body.

Whatever Ryker does, I find that I am like a moth to a flame where I just cant keep my eyes off him.

I think back to everything that has happened, how it was only a few months ago that I'd come home, focused on my career and with no clue how my return would go or what it would be like to see Ryker again.

But as all the romantic movies go, true love will bring people back together. Even as I watch him now, I get the butterflies in my stomach like when every time he is near me. He is my world.

I'm so focused on his movements and being lost in my thoughts that I didn't realise that he is looking at me from the mirror.

"See something you like baby?" He says as he hangs up his towel on the rack and then comes out of the bathroom, making his way over to the closet. He has a smirk on his face like he is enjoying catching me perving at him.

"Well, you see, there is this pretty good looking fella who seems to have stolen my heart again." I reply as I burp Jae.

I rock Jae in my arms as I stand up and move him back to his cot.

As I turn from settling Jae down, I see Ryker has moved to behind me and is on a bended knee.

"Mia Salvatore, I let you go once, I was such a fool and I was lost not having you by my side but when you came back it all came flooding back and as much as I tried to stay away from you, I just, I just knew that I couldn't. I love you baby girl and when you let me back in, I knew I had to work hard to keep you." He moved closer to me and I am just stumped, not quite prepared for what is going on.

'Mia, I can't let you go again. I know we still have a lot of work to do to get back to where we were before, but I love you Mia, I've always loved you."
He stops, he takes in a breath and its like he is trying to find the words.

I reach in under my shirt and pull out my necklace. Ryker is watching my movements as I find the end of my necklace and undo the clasp. The pendent slips off along with my ring.

Rykers eyes go wide. "I thought you would had gotten rid of that?" He says as he eyes the ring, his ring, in the palm of my hand.

I look up at Ryker "No, I always kept it. I tried. I tried to get rid of it but I just couldn't." I pass the ring back to him and he holds it in his fingers.

He runs it between his thumb and pointer finger. He takes my hand and looks back up at me.

"I love you Mia, I love you so damm much. Will you marry me?"

I look at his eyes, I think back to the first time I met Ryker, we were kids and I thought he had the most amazing eyes, I still do, every time I look into them I catch my breath.

"Yes, oh god yes." Is all I can get out before he swoops me up and crashes his mouth to mine.

############

I checked my phone to make sure that the monitor is working and we make our way down to the bar. The party is in full swing and I take a moment to look around at everyone.

I see Carrie on our usual table, she is talking to Ariel who looks like she is taking in everything that Carrie is saying to her.

I see Blaze by the bar, keeping his eye on Ariel while he nods his head to whatever Knuckles is telling him. Slater is leaned up beside them and is discussing something with Cole.

Ryker is heading towards the bar but heads past Stella who is sitting with Bernice and Kitty on the couches. I watch how they swarm him with questions and how he smirks and continues over towards the bar.

Everyone looks calm, but I would not say that we are in high spirits. The Bandits are still out there, we have no idea what David Cheung was doing and why he took Ariel.

There are so many parts to this that just seem to not make sense.

"As much as I wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, there is still a air about the place don't you think Mia" Xavier says as he steps up behind me. He looks like he has the worries of the world on his shoulders and his eyes seem to be searching, looking for something that is out of place.

I've known Xavier practically all my life, he tends to hold his emotions in but his eyes, his eyes always give him away.

"I was thinking the same thing. As much as we got Ariel and me back, I just still feel like that was only the beginning. There are too many unanswered questions that I don't think we have even scratched the surface yet." I ponder over what to say next as I watch Xaviers features change to where he seems to be contemplating my words.

"Xavier, do you think Ariel is right, that there is a mole?"

Xavier turns to me and says "I know that Ariel has no reason to lie but I just can't believe that one of us, a brother, could be ratting us out. I need more proof before I can start picking brother against brother."

"I know, I know. The fact that one of these guys could be going behind our backs makes me feel ill but Ariel never lies and she was a adamant on what David said. I just wish we knew more. I feel like everything that happened was like they were testing the waters." I had been thinking about this for a while and as much as 'not much' has happened, it all seemed to be unusual. 

"I agree Mia, I don't think we have seen the last of the Bandits." Xavier sighed. "do you think Ariel is OK?"

"I'm not sure, she seems OK but who knows how she is processing this all on the inside." I reply.

"We will just have to keep an eye on her and then when she falls, just be ready to pick her up." He replies as he nods towards the party and offers me his hand.

"Come on brat, lets stop dwelling on what can happen and focus on what is going on now. Lets go cut a rug." He shouts as his mood changes and he takes my hand. I laugh, as much as I hate how he can switch his moods so quickly, I can never say no to the bloke.

As he cuts a path to the makeshift dance floor I put our conversation to the back of my mind and try and enjoy the moment.

As much as we are all may feel like its back to normal around here I just can't shake that we have not even seen the worst yet.

"AGH!!!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS" Carrie is pushing people out of the way as she crosses the room. She grabs my hand and holds it up like a tribute.

Xavier grins and says "Why didn't you say something squirt."

Ryker has a big shit eating grin as he sees all the ladies start to swarm on me and I can't help but laugh. Everyone passes on their congratulations. It's a big thing in our world when you make a commitment like marriage, so when Uncle Roo gets up on the bar and shouts that drinks are on him the night starts to take a major turn.

I head off towards the bar and into the arms of the man I love. He smiles and pulls me onto his lap as he pushes my hair away from my ear.

"I can't wait to fucking marry you." He whispers as he nuzzles my ear.

"Me either Ryker, me either."