“So are you.”
“Yeah.”
A pause.
Heavy.
Charged.
And then—
“I’m not losing you,” he says.
It’s not a promise.
It’s a decision.
Something in my chest tightens.
Because I believe him.
I shouldn’t.
But I do.
“You don’t get to decide that,” I whisper.
His thumb brushes lightly along my cheek.
“Watch me.”
That’s it.
That’s the moment everything breaks.
I close the distance.
This time, it’s me.
My hand grips his shirt, pulling him in as my lips meet his.
The kiss hits hard.
Not gentle.
Not hesitant.
Everything we’ve been holding back—fear, adrenaline, need—it all crashes together at once.
His arm wraps around me instantly, pulling me closer, like he’s anchoring himself just as much as I am.
My back presses lightly against the wall.
Not trapped.
Never trapped.
Just… held.
