He looks… lost.
Not angry.
Not powerful.
Not like Julian North.
Just a man.
A man who finally understands what he threw away.
He freezes when he senses me.
His hand stills.
His eyes lift to mine like he’s afraid I’m a mirage.
Neither of us speaks.
The silence is heavy, but it isn’t hostile.
It’s loaded.
I take one step into the room.
Then another.
My heart is pounding so hard I’m dizzy.
Julian sits up slowly, like any sudden movement could scare me away.
“Lucy,” he whispers.
The way he says my name is different now. There's an ache to it.
I swallow.
My voice comes out small. “I don’t know how to do this.”
His eyes shine. “I’ll learn, I'll do better. If you’ll let me.”
The words hit me so hard that it feels almost physical.
I stand there, hands shaking slightly, and realize the truth I’ve been avoiding:
I didn’t stop loving him.
I stopped trusting my love to keep me safe.
Those are not the same thing.
I step closer.
Julian doesn’t move.
He lets me choose every inch.
When I reach the bed, I sit on the edge, not touching him yet.
