She opened her mouth to interrupt.
I kept going. "You deserve that."
Belle blinked.
The anger flickered—confusion slipping through the cracks like water finding weaknesses in stone. Her shoulders stayed rigid, but something in her posture shifted. Softened. Just enough that I noticed.
"I don't need you to fix my life."
The words came quieter this time. Less certain. Like she was trying to convince herself more than me.
I corrected her gently. Stepped close enough that she had to tilt her head back to hold my gaze.
"I'm not fixing your life." I let the silence stretch. Let her feel the weight of what came next. "I'm taking responsibility for what's mine."
Her chest rose sharply at the word mine. Sharp enough that I heard the breath catch. Saw the pulse jump at her throat. Felt the air between us charge with something electric and dangerous.
She wanted to fight that claim.
I could see it written across every tense line of her body. But she couldn't.
Not completely.
Because the contract said it first.
The money proved it second.
And somewhere deep inside where she refused to look—she already knew it was true.
"I'm not yours," she whispered.
But the conviction had bled out of the statement. Replaced by something raw. Fragile. Almost pleading.
I reached up slowly. Gave her time to pull away.
She didn't. My hand cupped her jaw, thumb brushing the line of her cheekbone with deliberate tenderness that contradicted everything I'd done to her in the study.
"You are," I said quietly.
Not a threat.
A fact.
"And I take care of what's mine."
Her eyes glistened—not quite tears, but close. Rage warring with something she didn't want to name. Relief, maybe. Or exhaustion. Or the terrible, seductive comfort of being claimed by someone who meant it.
"I hate you," she breathed.
The words should have stung.
They didn't.
Because her body leaned into my touch even as she said them. Because her eyes stayed locked on mine instead of looking away. Because hate and want had always been closer than people admitted.
"I know," I murmured.
Then I kissed her.
