He was there when I relearned how to let someone close. Let someonein.
In fact, he’s the one who healed me, I think.
Even now, he knows the rules.
He knows I need to keep my eyes open.
Because if I close them—if I losefocus—his body becomes someone else’s.
The thrusts become Karim’s.
The kisses blur into Advik’s.
And I can’t bear to mix those two worlds.
Not when one destroyed me, and the other... burned me alive.
So I keep my gaze on Vir.
Lock onto his face.
Even as he leans down and kisses me softly.
He watches me with that look again—the one I’ve seen a dozen times. The one that makes me almost believe it.
That he loves me.
He’s said those words more times than I can count.
I never say them back.
Not because I doubt him. Or myself.
But because I know the part of my scorched heart capable of love? It already belongs to someone else.
To Advik.
To a man who thinks I’m dead.
That half of me—the buried half—it’s his.
It always will be. And I hate it.
But I stay here. In the moment.
Vir’s hand slides between us, his fingers finding the spot that makes me unravel.
I’m close. So close that I whisper for him to go faster. Frantic.
He does.
His thrusts speed up, his fingers circling my clit with exquisite control.
And I let go—moaning into his mouth as he catches the sound like it means something.
He smiles against my lips, peppering soft, wet kisses across my face.
And I let him.
