The reality of my sacrifice creeps in. I traded my soul to keep him alive. The very thing that defined me, that kept me whole.
For him, I’ve lost so much more than I ever could. And in the realization that follows, I wonder… who Livvie Viacava would be without the pieces of herself she’s lost.
The electric door swishes open, and my mother clip-clops inside, the rich scent of coffee wafting behind her. She sets two cups down on the small table by the window and turns to face the bed.
Her gaze falls on me, and she freezes for a moment, her eyes softening with a mixture of relief and concern.
She’s always been the strong one, the woman who faced the world with poise and strength, but today, I see the cracks in her armor. The exhaustion in hershoulders, the faint lines around her eyes, tell me she’s been carrying a heavy burden of her own.
Without a word, she crosses to my bedside and bends over me. Her hand comes up to my cheek, stroking my hair as she presses a soft kiss to my forehead.
“Oh, sweetheart. You scared me to death.”
For a moment, I almost want to cry, to let her soothe the ache inside me.
But tears don’t come and my dry throat only gets thicker.
The silence stretches between us when I can’t bring myself to say a word.
I draw into myself, my gaze dropping to the white sheets, my chest tight with dread. I want to speak, to reassure her, but the words are lodged somewhere deep inside me, locked behind the fear and the realization that I’m not the woman I once was.
“Livvie… sweetheart. It’ll be okay. If you need to come home, just say the word. I’ll take ya back to Ireland with me.”
“No,” Kingston bites out, the force of it like a growl. “Her home is with me, Fiona.”
My mother’s gaze flicks between me and him. Then she nods. “Yes, her home iswithyou. You’re welcome in our home.”
Her gentle touch lingers on my hair, fingers brushing against my scalp, but I’m too numb to appreciate it.
Kingston stands to his full height. The tension in his posture is unmistakable, a raw intensity that fills the space.
“Fiona,” he says, his tone clippedand firm, “give us a moment.”
My mother blinks, looking up at him, her eyes wide. She hesitates for a moment, glancing back at me, but Kingston doesn’t give her a chance to protest.
He rounds the bed and places a hand on her shoulder, guiding her toward the door.
“Leave us,” he adds, his voice brokering no argument. “My wife needs space.”
She leaves without an argument, her heels clipping the floor as she closes the door behind her, leaving me alone with Kingston.
The atmosphere shifts the second the door clicks shut. Kingston’s sole focus zeroes in on me, and all the concern from his face leaves. He returns to the side of the bed, his movements confident.
“Livvie,” he says, nudging my chin up with his knuckles. “Look at me, princess. I need you to see me right now. To hear me.”
His voice carries an authority that has me obeying, meeting his wide inky pupils where fear and love have mixed together.
“I made you a promise, wife,” he continues, his tone softening as he leans in closer.
His breath brushes my forehead as he presses a kiss there. “You’re not losing yourself, Livvie. You’re redefining the limits, pushing the boundaries as the only woman I’ve ever loved.”
His eyes lock on mine, still holding that masculine strength he carries in every moment, especially when it comes to me.
But beneath the steel, there’s something vulnerable, raw,that makes my chest tighten. His hand moves up, cupping my cheek with a tenderness so gentle it sends a shiver down my spine.
“I’m right here, Livvie,” he whispers, his voice a low growl, thick with raw emotion, the sound reverberating through my bones. “When you cry, I’ll wipe your tears. When you fall, I’ll pick you up, because you have all of me, princess.”
His grip tightens, but there’s no anger in it, only urgency. “But I swear to fuck, don’t you ever leave my side again. Not for some reckless, selfish fucking mission like that. Do you understand? Those bastards could have killed you, Livvie. Just like that.”
