I looked through the glass as I smiled.

"Any ring you want," Frank said quietly, wrapping his arms around me.

"They're all so pretty," I muttered.

I looked at the case with all the wedding rings that glimmered in the light.

"Choose a big ol' fancy one for the engagement ring and then a simpler one for the wedding band," Frank said.

I bit my lip and pointed to a big pretty one.

"I like that one," I said.

The worker pulled it out and smiled.

"This is a four carat diamond ring," he said. "Priced at thirty-seven thousand dollars."

"You sure you want that one?" He asked and I nodded. "Alright then, we'll take this one."

I bit my lip as I looked at the less pretty ones, although they were still beautiful. Frank had already picked out a simple silver band for himself.

"That one's nice," Frank said.

I looked over at the silver band that had a little silver line along it.

"It's pretty," I said.

"But that one is even better I think," Frank said.

I looked over at the other that was similar but the silver line had little diamonds instead.

"I think that one's perfect," I said.

"Do you think it'll be okay for daily wear?" He asked.

"It's perfect," I said.

The door opened and I shrieked when I heard gunshots.

"This is a robbery!" Someone shouted.

Frank pushed me down against one of the cabinets, kneeling down beside me to protect my body with his. I whimpered and shook in fear as I heard shouting and glass breaking.

"Gee, baby, it's okay," Frank whispered. "I'm gonna keep you safe. Nobody's gonna hurt you."

Frank's body was still shielding mine even when they left. He just hugged me tight until I calmed down.

"Are you okay?" Frank asked.

"I-I think I got scared and peed a little," I whispered.

"That's okay, baby," Frank said.

We stood up and I looked at the wet spot on his pants from where I peed. Police started showing up and we had to answer some questions before leaving.

"I'm sorry I peed on you," I whispered. "Again."

"Baby, it's okay, we all get scared sometimes," Frank said, holding my hand.

I whimpered, looking out the window.

"I was seventeen when I first threw a grenade," Frank said and I looked over at him in confusion. "God, I was so fucking excited. My dad took me out to an empty field so I could practice throwing grenades and all that. He handed me one and told me what to do and I was so excited my hand slipped. I pulled the pin but dropped the grenade right next to me. I screamed the most high pitched scream you could possibly imagine. I was so scared I peed my pants and started crying and my dad had to calm me down."

I giggled as he squeezed my hand.

"I was a seventeen year old boy with piercings and tattoos who was crying and covered in his own piss while his dad tried to calm him down," Frank said. "Turns out my dad hadn't given me a live grenade like I thought. So it just dropped and did nothing but I almost shit myself."

I couldn't help but laugh as we got home.

"Come on, we both need to get cleaned up," Frank said.

"Bath time?" I asked hopefully and he nodded.

We went inside and headed upstairs. Frank ran the bath with hot water while we got undressed.

"You were so good, baby," Frank said.

I gave him a kiss and he smiled.

"We'll go back and get our rings later," Frank said.

I nodded as we sat in the bath together.

"I'm gonna teach you to fight," Frank stated.

"B-but then I'll get my hands dirty," I complained. "I don't like being dirty."

"I know you don't, princess," he said. "Although I would like to see you in your little shorts all sweaty. But I might make you sweat for a different reason."

I giggled, holding his hand.

"You really want to marry me?" I asked.

"Of course I do, baby boy," Frank said. "I think you'd look so beautiful in your dress walking down the aisle."

"M-my dad won't walk me down," I said sadly. "He won't be there to give me away like I had always dreamed."

"I'm sorry, baby, but your dad is the one who's a dick," Frank said.

I grumbled unhappily and he wrapped his arms around me.

"What about you brother?" Frank asked. "Would he be able to come at all?"

"No, him and my dad practically share the same mind," I said. "I just wish they would realize that I'm here with the man that I love and want to marry."

He kissed the top of my head and I smiled.

"I'm going to get you the best damn wedding ever," Frank said. "Anything you want and I'll get it."

"My dream wedding?" I asked.

"Yes, we can have your dream wedding," he said.

"Well, I've always wanted an outdoor wedding," I said. "They always look so pretty with the flowers and the sky."

I turned in his arms and saw Frank smiling at me.

"Alright, we're having an outdoor wedding," Frank agreed.

"And there's gonna be pretty flowers there too," I said.

I smiled as his fingers ran through my hair.

"And will there be a pretty tent with lights for the reception?" He asked. "Or is the reception gonna be inside?"

"No, outside sounds good," I said. "Imagine our first dance right under the stars."

Frank smiled, giving me a kiss.

"My arms wrapped around you, holding you close, the two of us dancing to the soft music," Frank muttered.

My eyes widened when Frank looked away and it looked like he was going to cry.

"I-I'm sorry," he said.

Frank got up out of the tub, grabbing a towel before walking out of the room. My eyes watered as I watched him shut the door. I waited for a while, probably ten minutes, before getting out. I got out and dressed into a pair of soft cotton shorts and a t-shirt.

"Daddy?" I asked quietly.

I walked out and saw Frank sitting on the edge of the bed in a pair of boxers. He sniffled, shaking his head. Frank got up, looking out the window.

"D-did I do something?" I asked.

"No, baby, it wasn't you," he said quietly.

"What is it then?" I asked. "Don't you wanna marry me?"

Frank nodded and I went over to wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Is it Jamia?" I whispered.

He let out a small sob and I hugged him tight.

"She was so excited for our wedding too," he said quietly. "She never made it to it."

"I'm sorry, daddy," I said. "I bet she was special."

"She was, but you're special too," Frank said.

"I know, I'm not jealous," I said.

He sighed, sitting down on the bed with me as he wiped his eyes.

"So, have you ever had a boyfriend before?" He asked, a small smile on his face.

"Sort of," I said. "I dated my friend for a little bit. We only went on two really awkward dates because one of my dad's men followed us. And we had one tiny little kiss that wasn't even very good. We were only fourteen so it was nothing. Not like what you had with Jamia, that was serious."

"Well, you were young, you're still young," Frank said. "Maybe you would've found someone of your own now if we hadn't been together."

"I don't think so," I said quietly. "Maybe but I wasn't allowed to talk to people very often so it'd probably just be one of my friends or something."

"I'm sorry you had to grow up so sheltered," he said.

"It wasn't that bad, I had everything I could ever want," I said. "My dad gave me my first credit card when I was ten. I mean, I had to ask permission before buying stuff but it was almost always yes."

"Guess we had similar childhoods then," Frank said with a small chuckle. "Although I wasn't sheltered."

"Neither was my brother," I said. "At least, not as much as I was."

"How come?" He asked.

"Because I was just more innocent and my dad just wanted to protect me," I said. "Mikey was always into the drugs and the money and the guns but I just wanted to play with my dolls and have my pacis and my dad just thought I was special."

"You are special," Frank said. "More special than anything else in the world."

I smiled, giving him a kiss.

"Are the people at the jewelry shop okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, baby boy, they're fine," he said.

"Do you miss it?" I asked. "You used to do things like that too."

"You're always asking me that, baby," Frank said.

I pouted quietly and he gave me a kiss.

"You know I miss it but I would miss you more," he said. "I was shot at my birthday party, my lung almost collapsed. The two of us nearly died in a fire that your dad started. He knew I couldn't get out because of my injury but you could. He was expecting you to get out and be safe and expecting me to die."

My lip quivered and Frank held me tight.

"Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we had both died," I said quietly and Frank furrowed his eyebrows. "Like, would my dad regret it? I'm sure he would but if I had died then would he have wished he'd let me stay with you? Maybe we can do something to make him understand."

"Gee, you aren't going to hurt yourself just to prove a point," Frank stated.

"No, not that," I said. "Can I call him? Try to talk to him?"

Frank nodded and held my hand as he brought me downstairs to a landline. I sat on his lap and dialed my dad's phone number.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Dad," I said quietly.

"Gee, oh, Gee," he breathed out. "Where are you? I'll come get you."

"I'm getting married, dad," I whispered. "I'm marrying the man I love. I wish you would come to the wedding to give me away."

"You're not marrying that son of a bitch," my dad denied.

My eyes watered and Frank rubbed my back.

"Please just let me be happy," I begged.

I broke down sobbing and Frank hung up the phone, hugging me tight.