With everything that had just happened, she should have been in tears, not pondering their future together. The fact that she was proved her strength.

A match to his own.

"I have some options I'd like to offer up."

Her mouth twitched. "Go for it."

After a soft kiss, he said, "I think we should stay together."

"With you so far."

"You've been embarrassed about your past when there was no reason. I'm not the only one who looks at you and thinks it's amazing that you did so much with so little."

"So much?" Cherry shook her head. "I don't have any money. I barely have enough of my own funds to stay afloat."

Denver smiled at her. "Together, we have enough, girl. I already told you that."

"I live in the downstairs of Rissy's house."

"No, you live with me." He wanted no misunderstandings on that. He sucked in a breath, then bit the bullet. "Will you marry me?"

She went still, and now tears filled her eyes. "You mean it?"

"I love you." He saw everyone start toward them, Logan and Armie, his father and Pamela. "Say yes."

She nodded hard instead, swallowed audibly, and buried her face in his throat. "Yes."

Armie drew up short, his expression appalled. "She okay?" he asked in a whisper, as if Cherry couldn't hear him.

"Yeah." Denver cradled her close and ran his hand up and down her back.

"I could check her," his dad offered.

Cherry shook her head. "No."

The croak in her voice made Denver smile. "Girl, you need to say something to Armie before he starts crying, too."

Without showing herself, she wailed, "I'm just happy!"

Laughing, Denver stood with her in his arms. Insane after everything they'd just gone through, the threat to Cherry, the adrenaline dump and the damage to his knuckles, but he felt better than he had in years.

"You are so strong," she whispered.

"Not strong enough to resist you." He started toward Logan. "I'm guessing we need to answer some questions."

"I'm ready." She wiped her eyes on his shoulder, peeked up at Armie and his father, then nestled in tight again. "We should wait to get married until after Cannon and Yvette."

That made him pause. "Why?"

"We don't want to steal their thunder, and now that I have you, I don't mind waiting just a little bit. Maybe after your fight?"

Hell, he'd forgotten he had a fight right after Cannon's wedding. "Yeah, not a bad plan."

She hugged him again. "If you don't mind, I prefer a much smaller wedding."

"As long as your idea of small includes the guys."

"Of course it does." Tentatively, she asked, "And your father and Pamela. Is that okay?"

He was slowly coming to terms with it, but he said only, "Whatever you want."

"Oh, now a girl could do all kinds of things with a promise like that."

Denver grinned with her. "It's all good, as long as you know you're mine."

"I always have been." With her nose red, her eyes glassy, she kissed him. "And I always will be."

CANNON AND YVETTE'S wedding was a massive success, even though the best man had a very colorful black eye, and the maid of honor couldn't stop smiling.

Denver stood at the cash bar with Stack and Armie, watching the ladies dance. They'd shed their shoes and their fancy hairdos were starting to droop.

Armie, looking very slick in his tux despite his badly bruised face, had already danced with nearly every woman there. Now that he had a fight date set with the SBC, he was even more popular-and was working harder than ever.

When the music stopped, Denver cocked a brow.

Armie nudged Stack. "Yvette is going to throw the bouquet, and hate to break it to you, but Vanity looks determined to catch it."

Stack didn't take his gaze off Vanity. He stared at her with such heated intensity that Denver had a hard time not laughing.

"Dude," Armie said. "She's going to go up in flames if you don't cool it."

"I'm in a good mood, Armie, and nothing you say is going to change that."

Denver knew it was because today was the day he and Vanity had agreed to sleep together. He said nothing, of course, but few would miss the sparks between them.

Yvette, looking incredibly beautiful in her gown, sent the bouquet sailing-straight toward Vanity. At the last second, Vanity sidestepped, and it almost hit Cherry in the face.

Surprised, she managed to juggle it until it was secure in her arms. Denver grinned as she blew her blond curls out of her face.

Vanity peeked toward Stack, crooked her finger, and smiled.

"Later." Stack took off so fast he almost tripped up an older couple.

"He's got it bad," Armie noted, "and I don't think he realizes it."

"He thinks it's just sex." Denver shrugged. "And who knows. Maybe it is."

"Speaking of sexy women-"

"We weren't."

"Cherry is looking mighty happy."

"Shut up," Denver told him. 'Course, that didn't stop Armie.

"When are you two tying the knot?"

Denver smiled. "Not sure yet."

That got Armie's attention. "But it's on the table?"

Before he could answer, Cannon lifted Yvette up in his arms, turning a circle with her while everyone whistled and cheered and a few of the guys made bawdy comments.

Yvette waved, and together-as they were meant to be-they left the room. They could have taken a honeymoon, but neither of them were anxious to travel, so instead they'd just head home and begin their lives as a married couple.

Given Cannon's popularity in the sport, there'd be plenty of opportunity to travel.

Now that they were gone, Denver decided he could share. He turned to see Armie sipping yet another drink. "We're unofficially engaged."

Choking and coughing, Armie set his drink aside. "You sly dog!" He held out his fist and Denver bumped it.

"So what about you?"

Armie stared across the room. "Got my sights set on that lush brunette over there."

Not taking the bait, Denver shook his head. "You give yourself away by avoiding her. You know that, right?"

Rather than ask who he meant, Armie said, "No, I don't."

"Bullshit. You hit on every woman in sight, but refuse to even look at Merissa unless you think no one else is watching."

Just then Merissa shyly approached. That, too, was a dead giveaway because she flat-out wasn't shy. Only with Armie.

When she stopped in front of Armie, he froze, but only for a second.

"Hey, Stretch."

Rolling her eyes at the nickname, she held a hand out to Armie. "Dance with me."

"I-"

"You've danced with every other woman here."

"I-"

"My brother told me to make you dance."

Armie's brows shot up. "He did?"

"Right before he left." In an accusing tone, she muttered, "Something about you drinking too much and now he's worried about you and I'm supposed to be your babysitter."

Denver went a little wide-eyed. Hard to believe Cannon-on his way out the door-would have thrown the two of them together. But then again, maybe not. He trusted Armie more than anyone. They were as close as brothers. Who else would he have looking after his sister?

Not for a second did Denver believe that bit about Merissa looking out for Armie.

Armie laughed. "A baby bird keeping an eye on the hawk?"

"I'm well aware of your rep, Armie. No reason to throw it around." She snatched up his hand and began backing out to the floor.

"Rissy..."

"Don't be a coward," she mocked. "I promise not to bite. At least, no harder than you do."

His face flushed, but he went along and just as they got to the middle of the floor the music changed, going slow and sultry.

Armie tried to leave again but Merissa laughed, grabbed him by the back waistband of his tux pants, and refused to let go.

Amused, Denver watched them until Logan stopped at the bar for a refill. It was interesting, the variety of Cannon's friends. Locals young and old from the neighborhood, fighters from the rec center and beyond, including Havoc and Simon, cops, family... Everyone loved Cannon, and now they loved Yvette, too.

Logan nodded at Denver's sling. "Anything serious?"

"Just a tweaked muscle. Happens all the time in practice. I'll be back to full steam before the fight." It was almost comical how Cherry fussed each time he got hurt. But she was every bit as supportive as she was concerned, and he knew when he fought, she'd be cheering the loudest.

"Good to hear it." With a fresh drink in hand, he motioned for Denver to follow him to a quieter corner.

Denver did, but he also kept his gaze on Cherry. She'd just collapsed in a chair, her face dewy, her bouncy hair half tumbled to her shoulders, her eyes shining.

Men all around her.

He doubted she'd ever fully understand her appeal, but he did, and he counted himself damned lucky because no matter how many men admired her, or how she laughed with others, she saved all her love for him.

"I wanted to update you, if you don't mind getting news during a wedding."

Denver didn't mind at all. He already knew Janet had finally recovered, only to be arrested before leaving the hospital. In addition to Carver, Mitty and Gene, a dozen or more locals and a handful of cops had also been picked up. "I'm anxious to hear."

Logan looked at his drink, glanced out at Cherry, and smiled. "You already know they located nearly eighty grand in that old truck Cherry told us about."

The truck where she used to hide. Muscles going tight, he nodded.

"But drugs were also recovered from their residence. They'd had them hidden in the floorboards, the walls, damn near everywhere." He swirled his drink. "I heard it was a real hellhole. Hard to believe Cherry ever lived there."

They both heard her laugh when Brand pulled her back to the dance floor.

Speaking the truth, Denver said, "She's more of a fighter than any man I know."

"The Nelson boys won't be out of prison any time soon. You now have the ATF, Kentucky State Police, and two bordering sheriffs' departments working with the state and local police." Logan downed his drink. "Police corruption... I fucking hate it."