He halted before me, his fingers gently stroking my hair. “I was afraid of what you were doing to me and how quickly I was losing control.”
Holy…shit. I did not see that coming.
My heart was hammering so loudly that I could swear he could hear it.
“I didn’t understand what was happening to me at the time. So, in my foolishness, I convinced myself that distance was the only solution.” His arms wrapped around my waist, his eyes boring into mine. “I was wrong.”
I blinked a few times, fighting back the tears that stung my eyes. His confession made it clear that whatever effect he had on me, I had on him as well. The attraction was mutual after all.
“So, yes.”
I threw my arms around his neck. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, I believe we can pull this off,” he answered, his thumb grazing my cheek. “At least I know I’m willing to give it a try.”
His words were reassuring, his tone so soothing it thawed something frozen inside me. The feeling of his skin on mine sent shivers down my spine, my heart swelling with something unnamed.
“Are you willing to give it a try?” he asked, his voice a low whisper.
My lips parted into a faint smile, and I nodded.
“I don’t understand sign language,” he teased, holding me close.
A laughed abruptly, the kind that made my eyes shine with mirth. “Yes.” I sniffled, beaming at him.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I’m willing to give it a try,” I answered, a flutter rising in my chest.
I’d never felt more secure and safe around him like I did at that moment. His arms around me were both possessive and protective at the same time. The stillness was peaceful, and I was basking in it.
This was the first time I’d seen him connected to his humanity. When I looked at him, I didn’t see the monster who had once kidnapped and locked me up in a cell. All I saw was a man trying to gather the pieces of something he had broken.
It was like staring at a whole new version of Nial Tarasov. He wasn’t soft or weak. He was just being more intentional about what he wanted, what he’d chosen.
In that intimate moment, I felt connected to him in ways I never imagined. And it wasn’t even sexual. It was just…peaceful.
Not long after, I felt it, a sudden dizziness that made me stumble back a few steps.
“What’s the matter—are you okay?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
“Yeah,” I said, my vision blurring by the second. “I’m just a little dizzy; that’s all.”
The world began swirling around, and my knees suddenly felt too weak to carry my weight. His voice echoed in my heavy head before fading into the background.
I could hear the sound of my own pounding heart as my body neared the floor. The last thing I heard was Nial calling out my name in a way that made my heart sink into my stomach.
What the hell is happening to me?
My eyes closed, and everything went blank. Silent.
***
By the time I came to, I was in a different location—the lights were brighter, and the air smelled of antiseptic solution. It took a moment for my vision to clear, and that’s when I noticed the blue curtains swirling in the cool breeze.
Beside me, a machine was beeping steadily, the sound blending with the quiet voices of two men talking. When I glanced down, I realized I was dressed in a hospital gown.
The voices happened to be those of Nial’s and the doctor’s as they stood outside the door. Nial’s face was etched with something that looked an awful lot like fear—worry.
