"It's okay. You don't need to say it back," he murmured as he sank backinto Cade's embrace, tucking his face into the crook of his neck. Sighing long and deep, he allowed himself to truly relax for the first time in nearly two weeks.
The familiar scent and the strength of firm muscles grounded him, enveloping him in quiet safety, and he murmured, "Thank you. For coming for me."
"You're mine, Tris. Nothing was going to stop me. I would have burned the world to ash to find you," Cade answered, kissing his temple.
Tristan's heart stammered as the words slammed into him, possessive and tender and exactly what he needed to hear.
"You told him that, too. You said I was yours."
Strong arms tightened around him. "You are. So you better make sure people know it, 'cause I'll have to kill anyone who touches you."
Tristan chuckled and kissed the warm skin under his lips. "You won't kill everyone who touches me, just the bad guys, right?"
Cade's noncommittal grunt had him laughing again, feeling lighter than he had since this ordeal began. In the logical part of his brain, he recognized that the response should have set off warning sirens, but instead, it just felt right. He liked knowing that his boyfriend would protect him, would keep him safe by any means necessary, and if that meant he was damaged or flawed in some way, he was okay with that. They could be damaged together.
With Tristan still snuggled up to him, Cade whispered a strangled confession."Tris, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to be in a relationship."
Leaning back, Tristan met dark, questioning eyes and offered a lazy smile. "That's okay. I'll teach you."
Another scowl, bordering on a pout, and Tristan found it endearing that a trained assassin could look so unsure and adorable.
But he decided to keep that observation to himself.
"What if I mess up?"
"I'm sure you will. And I will too."
"And then what?"
"Then we'll figure it out, make up, have sex, and move on."
"That's how it works?" Cade asked, squinting in disbelief. "You just make up and forget it?"
"Yeah, for the most part. Unless you do something horrible."
"Tris, I do horrible things all the time. It's literally my job."
Cade sounded so disgruntled that Tristan snorted. "No, I meant something horrible to me. Like cheat on me."
"Why would I cheat when I have you? That's stupid."
Tristan's face flushed at the sincere, disarming statement.
"Keep saying stuff like that, too. It gets you bonus points," he rasped.
"Huh?"
"Just keep doing it. I like it."
"Okay, I guess. So you won't be mad when I make mistakes?"
"Oh, I'll probably be mad, but I'll get over it. We'll work it out, right?"
"How the fuck should I know? I literally just told you I'd never done this before."
Tristan couldn’t help but snort at the petulant expression, so endearing that he had to resist the urge to reach up and squish that gorgeous face between his hands.
"Stop saying 'literally,'" he teased.
