I grab her face and force her to look at me. “Zoe, open your eyes.”
She winces. “No.”
“Look. At. Me,” I growl.
When she opens her eyes, they are glassy, as if she’s struggling to hold back tears and on the verge of losing control. I wrap my hand around her neck and pull her into a passionate, deep kiss. Zoe meets my fire with fire, the kiss enveloping us like a powerful force, chaotic and starved. It rushes through me, igniting every part of my body.
I can feel all of her in this kiss, without the masks.
Biting her bottom lip, I have to force myself to pull away as I speak against her mouth, staring down at her. “There is no placeon this earth, no amount of distance or time that could keep me away from you. Not even death could get in my way. I’ll turn into a fucking ghost and haunt you for the rest of your life, if I have to.”
“Dominik,” she whispers.
“I mean it, Zoe. I will never abandon you. Never.”
“Why?” She blinks up at me.
I can’t believe she’s really asking me that.
My thumb grazes her chin as I hold her stare.
“Because I have loved you from the very first moment you stepped inside that school office. I was obsessed. Captured. And I have loved you every single moment since. In every pocket of time, every glance, every touch, every memory, every sunset and sunrise, everything good and bad in my life—you have been there. I never stopped loving you, Zoe. No matter how hard I tried. You were and always will be in everything. You areeverything. You are my home, do you not understand that?”
I watch as a tear slides down her cheek. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Don't say anything. Don't accept it. Don't believe it. I know, actually, that you probably won’t. These are just words to you, but I know you feel it. When we're together, when you thought I was gone... I know you feel it, Zoe. No matter how much you tell yourself this isn’t real, it won’t change all the ways in which I love you. And I will never stop loving you.”
She kisses me, gently resting her hand on my cheek. “Okay.”
“Okay?” I repeat and she nods as more tears fall.
“Finally,” I let out, right before my lips claim hers.
25
DOMINIK
Startling awake, I notice the bedside lamp is still on and my book is resting against my chest.
I must have drifted off to sleep.
Before I did, Zoe was lying naked beside me, playing with my hair as I read out loud to her. We were like that for what felt like hours. Did that really happen, or was I just dreaming? Now I’m wondering if the past few days were merely a figment of my imagination. Because they’ve been, undoubtedly, the best fucking days of my life.
I finally got the girl.
I got the girl.
My girl.
For the past few days, Zoe and I have enjoyed our own little paradise locked up in my room. It feels like all this time, I’ve been walking around with half my heart missing, and now it’s finally put back together. I’ve watched her let loose, transforming into a carefree and open version of herself. She’s let go of all inhibitions, and for the first time, I feel like she’s truly letting herself be. I feel lucky to witness her blooming, let alone to be the one she shares it with. Now, whenever I close myeyes, all I can hear is her laughter and see her beautiful smile. Butterflies can’t see their own wings, but I’ve always seen hers.
I reach for my phone and realize it’s only 10:30 p.m. I never fall asleep this early. The injury has messed with my routine so badly. Or maybe it’s the overwhelming sense of comfort from the last few days.
You are my home, do you not understand that?
I can’t believe I said all that to her and she still stayed.
This can’t be real.
