Her breathing hitches. I hold her tighter, then loosen immediately when she makes another pained sound.
“Sorry,” I say again, lower this time, shaking now. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I just—”
I just thought you died.
I just watched your blood soak through my hands.
I just learned what fear really is.
The words crowd so hard behind my teeth I can’t hold them back anymore.
“I love you.”
Silence.
I shut my eyes.
There it is. Out in the open. Raw and true and too late and right on fucking time.
“I love you,” I say again, because if I stop now I’ll explode. “I love you, Ayla. I love your mouth and your sharp tongue. I love how you look at me like I’m the problem every single time, even when I am. I love the way you fight me. I love the way you never fucking listen. I love the way you make everything louder, more complicated and better. I love you.”
Her face shifts against my chest.
Slowly, painfully, her eyes start to open.
The brown of them is cloudy at first. Heavy. Confused. She blinks like the light hurts even this dim. Her lips part, dry and swollen.
I think my heart actually stops.
“Hey,” I say, and my voice comes out wrecked. “Hey.There you are.”
She frowns at me and I’ve never loved that crease between her brows more.
Relief hits so hard I almost laugh right there.
Her throat works. “Why,” she rasps, barely audible, “are you so damn close?”
I let out something between a breath and a laugh and press a kiss to her forehead.
“Because you weren’t waking fast enough.”
She blinks slowly. Looks at the wires. Looks at me. Looks annoyed.
And perfect.
So fucking perfect.
“You look like shit,” she whispers.
I laugh then. An actual laugh. It rips out of me sharp and helpless and a little insane.
“Yeah,” I say, dragging my nose against her hair because I can’t stop touching her, can’t stop making sure she’s real. “You should see the other guy.”
Her eyes narrow the tiniest bit. “Did you get him?”
“No, I went for you. All that matters is you.”
No hesitation. No softness. Just the truth.
