“There’s no one here,” he says, cupping my cheek. I force a small nod just as he asks, “What are you doing here at this hour?”
My lips tremble as I try to form words. “I… I was thirsty. I came to get some water, and on my way back, I felt like someone was there.”
“There’s no one here,” he repeats. “You’re imagining it. Come on, let’s go to bed. It’s almost eleven.”
I nod shakily, allowing him to lead me up the stairs. My body is still trembling, but his arm wrapped around me keeps me steady. When we reach my room, I slip out of his hold and drop onto the edge of the bed, my body shuddering.
Why do I feel like it wasn’t my imagination… like someone really was there?
I hear the door close and look up as he crosses the room and sits beside me. I immediately turn to him and take his hand in mine.
“Dev… I swear, I felt someone. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt it. I even heard his voice. Someone was there.”
Even as I speak, my hands tremble in his grasp.
Dev’s eyes soften, his lips brushing the top of my head. “It’s nothing, sweetheart. Just your mind playing tricks. After the attack, it’s normal for the smallest things to put you on edge.” He wraps his arms around me and guides my head to rest against his chest as he gently runs his hand through my hair.
I bury my face deeper into his chest, inhaling shakily, taking in his scent—the faint traces of cologne mingling with the warmth of his skin. My body relaxes a little, though my fear lingers at the edges of my mind.
“I… I was so scared,” I admit, shaking from head to toe.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he says softly.
I nod shakily, letting out a relieved breath.
“You need to sleep it off,” he murmurs, about to pull back, but I cling to him, not wanting to let go, and just wanting to feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
“Please… don’t let go… Please let me stay like this,” my voice cracks, barely audible against his chest.
He squeezes me tighter, rocking me slightly. “Shh… it’s okay. I am here. I am not going anywhere, sweetheart.” He presses his lips to the top of my head again. “Just breathe. I am right here with you.”
The tears start falling freely now, and I don’t fight them. I don’t care about how vulnerable I feel right now, and I don’t even care if it really was my imagination or not. All that matters is him holding me, his arms tight around me, stroking my hair and murmuring soft assurances into my ear. To me, they feel like nothing less than a lifeline, one I desperately need in this moment.
I lose track of time as I cling to him, desperate for every ounce of warmth, every fragment of comfort, every unshakable sense of safety that only he can give.
Pulling my head back, I cup his face and brush my fingers along his whiskered jaw. “Ca… can you…?” My voice falters.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asks, his gaze searching mine.
I close my eyes for a few seconds, letting a shaky breath escape before the words spill free. “Make me yours… in every sense.”
Maybe I sound crazy for blurting it out, but I don’t care. I am exhausted from holding myself back when all I want is to give myself completely to him. And this didn’t happen overnight. He worked on us, on our relationship, and changed everything.
A few months ago, I had sworn I couldn’t stay with him for even a minute. And now? Now I cannot imagine leaving him. Not when he’s shown me how much I matter to him.
“You… y-you mean we… you really want us to…?” he stammers, his eyes wide.
“Please don’t ask me to explain,” I breathe. “I just want you. I want to be yours.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he murmurs back. “Just tell me you truly wantmeand not because you’re feeling vulnerable. I need to know it’s your heart speaking, not your fear.”
I shake my head gently, a small breath escaping me. “I am not saying this because I am vulnerable. I am saying it because I’ve never been more sure of anything else in my life. Because every part of me pulls me towards you. Because I choose you… because I love you. My heart is choosing you, fully.”
He blinks at me, as if trying to process every word at once, and the next minute his voice comes out in a staggered whisper. “You… love… love me?”
I nod. “Yes… I love you. I just needed time to understand my own feelings.”
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he rasps before pinning me to the bed, his face inches from mine. “I just can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you say that… how long I’ve waited to hear those words from you. You don’t know what it’s done to me. All I know is that I am never letting you go… ever.”
