Her cold hands cup my face, squeezing until I’m squinting at her. She grins, then rattles off her list of demands like she’s been rehearsing this moment, and it makes me smile like a goof.
“I need back rubs. Every night.”
“That and so much more.”
I’m not letting her go to sleep unless she’s 200% sure of how much I love her.
“Extra cuddles.”
“Absolutely.”
“No more pouting when I steal your clothes.”
I huff a laugh. Like I’d ever complain about how adorable she looks in my clothes. I just like to tease her about it.
I would never admit it out loud, but I bought twenty sweatshirts last week just so she could steal them when she came back.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I kiss her nose, waiting for more.
Her hesitation tells me the next one matters. She has to know the word “no” doesn’t even existin my dictionary when it comes to her.
“You can’t leave me again. No matter what happens.”
“Sweetheart…” My voice breaks, and I grip her hips, grounding myself. “The last two weeks were the worst of my life. I was lost without you. If you don’t believe me, ask Seiji. He’ll tell you in great detail how miserable I was.”
Her lips twitch when I tell her how Seiji and Grace barged into my office and forced me to accept their help so I could stop drowning in my misery long enough to get you back.
She thoroughly enjoys the stories of how miserable I was without her, then shows me every bruise on her gorgeous body that she got because I decided to act like an idiot and send her away. Each fading mark felt like a knife to the chest.
But then her hands start flying, voice light as she animatedly tells me how she “lucked out” with the stocked kitchen and a secure house.
I nod along until she stops abruptly, squints at me, and jabs a finger in my chest. “You! You did it, didn’t you?”
Her outburst takes me aback, and I immediately start recalling every dumb thing I’ve done in my life.
“This house. The precooked meals. You know I can’t cook to save my life. And the… and the house in the middle of fucking nowhere—no threats. Is that why the closet was full of brand-new soft hoodies?” Her eyes narrow, catching me red-handed. “Yousneaky bastard!”
Her smile wobbles, and I can’t tell if she’s about to laugh or scream. Then the tears spill, and my chest caves in.
Nevaeh falls into me, sobbing on my shoulder, breaking my heart with every hiccup. I wipe her cheeks, apologizing over and over again.
I know I can’t erase her pain with a single apology, but I can remind her again and again how much I love her. I rub her back and kiss her forehead until her breathing steadies.
“I love you,” my sweetheart croaks hoarsely.
I squeeze her tighter, drawing out a little sigh from her. She loves it when I try to mold our bodies together by squeezingthe ever-loving crap out of her.
“I love you, sweetheart. I promise I’m not leaving your side from now on, not even for a second.” Wiping the last of her tears, I cup the side of her face that’s not pressed against my shoulder.
“You are not coming inside the bathroom when I pee. That’s weird, Angel.”
I just hum and let her believe that.
As much as I love having her in my arms, I know she’s exhausted. Judging by the shadows under her eyes, she’s barely slept in the last two weeks.
I check the clock, and there are still a few hours left before the plan is set in motion, so I carry my sweetheart to her room, where August is waiting for us to pull our shit together so he can finally go home.
With August snuggled into my right side and Nevaeh almost climbing over me from the left, it finally feels like I’m home.
