For a second, she doesn’t move.
For a second, I think I’ve lost her for good.
But then I feel her walls shatter. A small noise escapes her, barely a gasp, and she kisses me back. Her hands fly up, gripping the hair on the back of my neck, pulling me in closer, like she needs this just as much as I do.
My heart skips a beat, and I know I’m finally home.
When she pulls away, her breath is ragged, her lips swollen, and tears are streaming down her face. “Pl– please tell me my mind is lying to me.” Her voice is barely a whisper, but the weight of those words nearly breaks me.
Another tear slips down her cheek, and I reach up, wiping it away with my thumb. “I promise you, Azúcar,” I murmur, voice thick. “I had nothing to do with my grandfather’s evil. I would never, EVER let him take you. You are the love of my life, and I would never want to hurt you.” I cup her face, forcing her to hear every word. “You and Rachel complete my broken black soul. I would never willingly jeopardize that.”
She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she turns, looking at Oliver. Their silent conversation is immediate, a twin connection I’ll never fully understand. And then, Oliver nods. Whatever Olivia sees in his face is enough.
She turns back to me, lips parting slightly, and I see it for the first time in what feels like forever.
Hope.
“I love you, Alex.” Her voice is still hesitant, still broken, but I hold my breath because she’s not running.
“This is going to take time to grow again,” she warns. “I am fucked up, broken, and damaged, but I am willing to give us a chance.” Her gaze flickers to Rachel. “The three of us.”
She reaches out for Rachel, and without a second thought, Rachel grabs Olivia’s hand, fingers threading together with ease. Olivia pulls her close, and the moment Olivia is completely in our embrace, I feel the tension in her shoulders release just slightly.
It's a small surrender, a step forward. But it is a small victory I will gladly accept.
Rachel presses a soft kiss to the back of Olivia’s head, then leans in, her voice soft, warm, and undeniable. “Always remember, babe.” Another kiss, a little firmer. “He is ours. You belong to me, and I to you. We belong together.”
A pulse of electricity shoots through me at Rachel’s words, lighting up every part of me.
I have never known love the way I feel it now.
Not in my heart.
Not in my soul.
Not in my whole damn body.
Chapter thirteen
Olivia
“Iloveyou,Alex.I really do, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going in with Oliver.” My voice is steady, but my heart pounds like a war drum. “I have to be his backup; we are twins; it's what we do. The Italians and the Starr brothers don’t know us; we will be in and out before you know it. We’ll have earpieces also; you’ll hear every move we make throughout the casino.”
I search his face for understanding, trust, or maybe even permission. My heart and gut are at war, but I have to believe him. I have to trust that he’s on my side, at least right now. I do.
I want him. I want him more than anything. Rachel and Alex are my home, and deep down, I know that has never changed and never will.
Alex exhales sharply, his jaw clenching like he’s physically biting back his protest. “I don’t like this, but I hear you. Just…” He shakes his head, frustration and fear tangled in his expression. “I’m scared to lose you. So you better not die.” His laugh is nervous and humorless.
I force a small smirk, though my stomach twists. “I wouldn't dream of it.” I get up on my tippy toes and give him a quick peck on the lips. But deep down, I know that’s a promise I might not be able to keep.
I step back from him, peeling my body away from the warmth of his arms, the safety I desperately want to sink into. But I can’t. Not yet. I turn toward Oliver, rolling my shoulders as adrenaline starts to pump through me. “Alright, boss man. Let’s get this shit done.”
Finally, I’m not just surviving; I’m doing something. Something for my family. Both of them.
Oliver and I move through the grand entrance of the Silver Serpent as we belong here, our invisible earpieces linking us to Alex, Rachel, and the rest of Oliver’s team.
The casino hums with life – laughter, the clink of glasses, and the distant chime of a jackpot, followed by a cheer. The air is thick with cigarette smoke and the scent of expensive cologne. We drift through the tables, pausing just enough to look natural, watching, listening, and occasionally cheering on someone who just won.
