She turned in my arms.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, and even in the dim moonlight I could see her gaze searching my face.
Looking for something.
Damage, maybe.
Evidence of what I'd done tonight.
No. Don’t read me, Tora. Not tonight. Don’t assess. I don’t want you to truly see who I am. . .
Yet, she studied me.
She assessed.
And a minute later, I watched her expression shift as she found the horrors that I’d committed.
You shouldn’t have looked, Tora. Because if this scares you. . .if you want to run. . .I will trap you.
Her bottom lip quivered.
I didn't know what she saw exactly—the haunted look in my eyes, the tension in my jaw, the way I couldn't quite meet her gaze for more than a few seconds. But whatever it was, her face softened with something that looked like heartbreak.
She didn't ask if I was okay.
She already knew the answer.
Instead, her hand came up to touch my jaw, and her thumb traced the line of it.
Gentle.
Exploring.
Grounding.
Next, she whispered, “I love you, Kenji.”
I blinked.
Her words were soft, warm, and everything I didn't deserve after what I'd done tonight.
Still, so many emotions cracked behind my eyes.
No. Do not cry. She’s seen enough. You can’t. Not here. Not now. You are the Dragon. Don’t. . .
"You're shaking," she whispered.
I was.
I hadn't realized it until she said it, but my whole body was trembling—fine tremors running through my muscles like aftershocks from an earthquake I couldn't escape.
Her palm pressed flat against my chest, right over my heart. "Stay with me. Whatever you're seeing right now, you're not there anymore. You're here. With me. In our bed."
Our bed.
She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like we'd been sharing this space for years instead of days.
Like she belonged here.
