Tucker nods once.“I figured.”
I look at him.Really look.And something clicks.Something I’ve been circling around without naming.
“You did this.”It’s not a question.
He doesn’t deny it.“Part of it.”
“How?”
His gaze holds mine.“By making sure he understood.”
“Understood what?”
“That he doesn’t get to touch your life anymore.”The way he says it is calm.Certain.Absolute.
My heart stutters.“You made him sign this.”
“I made sure he knew it was the right choice.”
I stare at him.“You said it was your job.”
“It is.”
“To do what?”
He steps closer.His hand comes up to my face, brushing away the last of my tears.“To protect you and Quinn always.”
The words settle deep.
“But more than that,” he says quietly, “it’s my job as the man who loves you to make sure you and Quinn breathe easy for the rest of your days.”
Everything stops.The world.The room.My heartbeat.
“You love me?”
The question comes out barely above a whisper.Like if I say it too loud, it might disappear.
He doesn’t hesitate.“Yes.”
Just like that.No fear.No second-guessing.Just truth.And something inside me breaks open completely.
Because I feel it too.I’ve been feeling it.I just haven’t said it out loud.
“I—” My voice shakes.I take a breath.Try again.“I love you too.”The words feel fragile and powerful all at once.
Like something I’ve been carrying for a while without realizing how heavy it was.
Tucker’s hand stills against my face.His eyes darken.Not with anger.Not with control.With something deeper.Something steady.He pulls me into him then, holding me tight.Not like I’ll break.Like I belong there.
And for the first time in a long time—I don’t feel like I’m bracing for something to go wrong.
I just feel safe.Completely.And I realize something as I hold onto him.
This isn’t just about surviving anymore.It’s about building something.Something real.Something lasting.Something that finally feels like home.
EPILOGUE
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