“For your collection. You deserve to have at least two of everything.”
“They’re beautiful,” I tell him. “Thank you. And I never thanked you for giving me the keys to the cage.”
“I’ll have it torn down,” he promises. “You’ll never go back in it.”
An image of the cage flashes through my mind. I went through so much while I was in it. I came close to death because I felt grief so strong that I thought it would drown me.
And when my feelings for Gavriil started to deepen despite everything, I was in there.
“Don’t,” I say, making his forehead crease in surprise. “The cage taught me how to survive anything. To not give up. You kept me from withering away and becoming nothing after Archer’s death.”
Gavriil places his fingertips on my cheek, drawing me close to press a soft kiss against my lips. “I’m sorry that he hurt you. That he crossed lines that left me no choice. He would’ve eventually gotten you killed…”
I know that’s as close to an apology as I’ll ever get from Gavriil.
But I no longer blame him for Archer’s death.
My brother always made bad decisions, took too many risks, and he got himself killed for them.
It wasn’t my fault or Dom’s or Gavriil’s that Archer was a selfish thief.
Gavriil may never say it outright, but I know he regrets his decision, not because of what Archer did but because of how his death affected me.
I lean into Gavriil, feeling the relief and care in every brush of his lips. When I break away and see the affection for me as clear as day in his blue eyes, I can’t hold back the words any longer.
“I forgive you,” I whisper. “And I love you too, Gavriil.”
He breathes in sharply. My heart aches as I realize how surprised he is by me saying both of those things to him. He doesn’t believe he deserves love. Or forgiveness. Maybe he doesn’t.
But I’m going to give them to him anyway.
“I love you so much,” he tells me as he strokes my cheek. “I have for longer than I even realized.”
I smile as warmth blooms in my chest from his honesty.
“Thank you for finally saying it in English,” I tell him as I press my lips to his. “I don’t have to go tonight. Do you want me to stay? To sleep in here with you?” I ask because I don’t want to leave him, especially not after hearing him say he loves me for the very first time.
“No,” he says gently, which is surprising. “You should go back to Dominik. I doubt if he gets any sleep when you’re not beside him.”
Frowning, I ask, “Are you sure? Dom won’t mind. He was sound asleep when I left.”
“Go. I’ll see you both at breakfast.”
Confused and a little sad that he doesn’t want me to stay, I kiss him goodnight before leaving with his sweet gift. I go back down the hallway to the room I’ve been staying in. Opening the red velvet box holding my key collection, I add the new gold ones. My eyes water as I take in the sight of all the old ones.
It’s a box of made-up stories, and a few real ones that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Leaving them, I decide to return to Dominik’s bedroom.
Just as Gavriil predicted, Dom is awake again, sitting up in bed with his cell phone in his hands in the glow of the soft light from the bedside lamp. He gives me a small smile and sets his phone down on the nightstand. “You’re back.”
“Were you waiting up for me?” I ask him.
“I sleep better with you in my arms,” Dom admits as he pulls back the blanket for me.
I start to climb back into his bed but stop.
Given what we just confessed, it doesn’t feel right to not be with Gavriil tonight.
