All the people in the room fade away, until it’s only Nico and me.
“Do you want me to?” I ask quietly.
His gaze never leaves mine. “More than anything.”
And that’s when something unlocks inside me, and I let him all the way in. Whatever this thing between us is, I’m committed to it. I want it.
“Okay then,” I say, smiling. “I’d love to join.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
NICO
I can’t believe she’s here.
I can’t fuckingbelieveshe’s here.
I genuinely thought I was seeing things when I looked at the TV as I was pacing, waiting for my name to be called. Especially when I saw her sitting next to my parents, having a conversation with my mom. Because at that moment, it was so,soeasy to picture her in my life. At the family dinner on a Sunday, or sitting on the sidelines at the gym. It was so easy.
I knew I couldn’t see her before the fight, but hell, if I wasn’t eager to hold her in my arms afterwards. It’s why I went for the knockout. I didn’t want to wait a second longer than I needed to.
And now she’s here. With me. Saying she wants to stay with me.
This is infinitely better than tonight’s win.
“Are you ready to get going?” I ask, trying and failing to tamp down on my deliriously giddy smile.
Her lips twitch with amusement. “Areyouready to get going?” When her gaze darts down to my chest, I revel in the sight of heat flashing in her eyes.
“What, you don’t think I’d fit in shirtless in New York?” I tease.
“It’s less the shirtlessness, and more the blood smeared across your skin,” she says with a pointed nod at my chest.
“He’d still probably fit in,” Lucas mumbles from where he’s furiously typing away on his phone. When we turn toward him, realizing we’re not the only ones in the room—how did I forget we’re not the only ones in the room?—he looks up and asks, “So are we going? I reserved the private dining room for us.”
I sigh, even though I know he’s right. “Yeah. Let me just shower and get myself together.” I turn toward Scarlett again. “You okay to wait a few minutes for me? We can send everyone ahead and then taxi over together.”
In all honesty, I just want her to myself for a few minutes. Not that I’m fooling anyone.
“Yeah, of course,” she says. “Take your time.”
I don’t take my time. I hurry through the entire process. If I was a little clearer on how things stood between me and Scarlett, I would’ve pulled her into the bathroom with me just to have her in my vicinity.
But as it stands, having her here, knowing she came tonight forme—not for a date, not because I’m paying her, but to be with me—it’s a heady feeling. And it’s strong enough to make it impossible to keep my distance from her once I step out of the bathroom and see her still sitting there, a happy smile on her face when she sees me.
“You look better,” she says sweetly. “Feel better?”
I pull her to her feet and into my arms. “I felt better the second you walked into the room, baby,” I murmur into her hair.
She hums, the sound content, as her arms tighten around my neck.
I can’t quite find the courage to look at her while I say what’s on my mind, so I tighten my hold around her waist and burymy face in her neck. “I’m glad you came tonight,” I admit. Then I gather enough courage to add, “Am I allowed to say I missed you?”
I don’t breathe as I wait for her answer. But then…
“I missed you too,” she whispers.
Thank fuck. That’s one clarification on the relationship.
