"Please, Tamsin. Please come home."
The last of my defenses crumble.
I step forward.
And I drop to my knees in front of him.
His eyes widen.
"You're an idiot," I say, my voice thick with tears.
"I know."
"You're paranoid and controlling and you have the emotional intelligence of a brick."
"I know."
"And you hurt me so badly I didn't think I'd ever stop crying."
"I know." His voice cracks. "I am so sorry."
I reach out and cup his face in my hands.
His skin is burning hot.
"But you're also mine," I whisper. "And I'm not letting you go."
Something breaks in his expression.
And then he's pulling me into his arms, lifting me off the floor like I weigh nothing, crushing me against his chest with a desperate, trembling grip.
His wings unfold.
Massive. Powerful. Glowing with molten gold light.
They wrap around us, cocooning us in warmth and darkness and the overwhelming scent of volcanic stone and amber.
"I will never let you go," he says, his voice muffled against my hair. "I will never doubt you again. I will spend the rest of my existence proving that you are the most important thing in my world."
I bury my face against his chest.
"You better," I say, my voice shaking. "Because if you ever throw me out again, I'm going to hit you with a volcanic stone roller."
His chest rumbles.
Not a laugh.
Apurr.
Deep and resonant and so full of relief it makes my heart ache.
"I would deserve it," he says.
"Damn right you would."
He pulls back just enough to look at me.
His amber eyes are blazing.
