Then he did the last thing I expected. He leaned down—the scent of his aftershave making me dizzy—and laid Weston in my arms.
“What?” I asked, breathless. “What are you doing?” Weston wiggled, and I curled around him, crying harder. I pressed kisses over his soft little cheeks. “Oh, you sweet boy. I missed you.” I let my nose find his dimple. “Mommy loves yousomuch.” My tears rained over his face, but he didn’t seem to mind. So I just held him, breathing him.
I glanced up when I felt Griffin sit on the bed.
He faced me and said, “That’s where he belongs. With his mom.” His jaw worked as he tried not to cry. “And his dad. With a big old family who’s waiting to love on him and spoil him rotten.”
Why would he give me this gift? He shouldn’t. It wasn’t safe.
“I c-can’t,” I gasped. “DayGlow won’t leave me alone. They won’t. I can’t put you all in danger.”
“Theywillleave you alone,” he said. “They won’t have a choice. We’re going to fight them—together—and win.”
I shook my head. “You don’t—you don’t know what they’re capable of.”
“I do. I promise, I do. And we’re going to take them down. Holden is already on it, and Ford’s going to fund it.” His tone made it clear that there would be no arguing on the matter.
I searched his eyes. “But…”
He scooted closer and took my face in his hands. “You’re not a terrible person. I never want to hear you say that again. You are one of the best and bravest people I’ve ever known.”
“No.” I tried to shake my head, but he was holding me in place. “I’m not. I’ve done horrible things.”
“No. Horrible things were done toyou. They used you and took advantage of the fact that you had no one to turn to.” He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “You will never beused like that again,” he promised. “And youwillhave a family from now on. If that’s what you want.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered, “I do. I want it so much.” One more breath. “I want you.”
“That’s what I thought.” He kissed the end of my nose. “I love you, Jules. I’ve never stopped. Not a single day. Even when I thought the pain might kill me. You are and always will be the love of my life.”
I couldn’t believe it was true, and it broke down the rest of my defenses. “I love you too.” I sobbed. “You’re it for me. You always were. It was never Liam.”
“I know.”
I looked at his shoulder. “But I don’t deserve you. You saved yourself, and I couldn’t even do that for you.”
“Did you save your heart for me?” he asked, like it was an even trade.
I looked up, unable to comprehend this kind of love. “Yes.”
“Did you save your dreams for me?”
I nodded, crying so hard I almost couldn’t breathe. “You—” I sucked in a breath. “You are my dream.”
His thumb traced my cheekbone. “And you’re mine. I’ll never regret saving myself. Not for a second. And if you think that gift belongs with anyone other than you—you’re wrong. I need you to believe that.”
I stared at him in awe. “I’ll try. Every day.”
“That’s all I want. That’s everything.”
He leaned in, asking permission, and I leaned up, our mouths meeting in the middle. That kiss cracked my soul open. The loneliness of my childhood, the years with DayGlow—none of it was strong enough to hold against this. The pain started to recede, and the feeling that came after felt like sun on skin after a very long winter. I tilted into Griffin,pulling him closer. My fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue wound around mine.
So of course, Weston decided to protest right then.
We looked down to see why he was crying.
“Oh, dear.” I let out a wet laugh. “Somebody swaddled you.” I freed his arms, and he immediately stopped fussing.
“I thought babies liked to be swaddled.”
