"He's going to be insufferable."
"Completely insufferable. He'll say he saw it coming."
"He probably did." I yawned against his shirt. The adrenaline was finally crashing, exhaustion hitting like a freight train. "I can't keep my eyes open."
"Bedroom's through there." He started to stand.
We made it to his bed—barely. Didn't bother with pajamas, just kicked off shoes and collapsed fully clothed on top of the covers.
Quentin pulled me close, one arm around my waist, my head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady under my ear. Alive.
"Jules?" His voice was already heavy with sleep.
"Mm?"
"Tomorrow, we tell Stone we want a real wedding."
"Tomorrow," I agreed. "Tonight we just—"
"Survive."
"Yeah."
His hand found mine in the dark. Laced our fingers together.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too."
And despite everything—the danger, the violence, the uncertainty of what came next—I felt something I hadn't felt in years.
Safe.
Not because we were out of danger. We weren't. Tomorrow we'd still be hunted. Still be racing against Carlo's deadline. Still be trying to prove Filomena guilty before she killed us both.
But tonight, in the dark, with Quentin's arms around me and his heartbeat steady against my cheek, I let myself believe we'd survive this.
Chapter 34
Quentin
“We need to talk about the wedding.” Facing Stone and Serenity in my office, I took Julia’s hand.
Stone raised a brow. "So you’re seriously considering it?”
“Yes.” I glanced at Serenity. "Did he tell you about this?”
“Yeah. Stone mentioned that Isobel suggested a wedding.”
“Good. But… it’s different now. We're thinking a real wedding. Not just paperwork."
The silence stretched.
"So youareserious." Stone wasn't asking.
"We are," Julia said quickly. "It makes strategic sense. But also—" she hesitated, vulnerability flickering across her face. "There’s more to it than that."
The uncertainty in her voice sent a protective wave over me. We were doing this because we loved each other. Not because we were desperate and running out of options. Even if it looked that way.
