Page 244 of Damsel in Disguise

The soft swell of her breasts has deepened since the first time I had her, fuller now, impossibly distracting. The gentle curve of her stomach carries the undeniable proof of a future neither of us was supposed to have.

Our son.

Life, it seems, possesses a vicious sense of irony.

Yet standing here now, watching her walk toward me, I find myself grateful for every bullet I took for her.

She’s breathtaking.

So breathtaking, in fact, that I suspect she could convince me into giving her as many children as she desires with little more than that smile and a poorly constructed argument.

Once, I would’ve dismantled entire civilizations in pursuit of knowledge. Now I’d gladly spend the rest of my life worshipping at the altar of her beautiful lies if it meant keeping this version of our future.

If it means Ariella Hertley will be my goddess.

I spent my entire life believing love was simply another weakness waiting to be exploited. It turns out, it was the only thing worth surrendering to.

She steps out of the shadows and into the shower with that same mischievous, obsessive expression that has ruined every carefully constructed equation I’ve ever made.

The woman who dismantled me. The woman who lied to me. The woman who somehow gave me everything I never realized I wanted.

With a knowing smirk, she closes the distance between us and takes my face in her hands, lowering me to her height.

As natural as breathing our lips find their way to each other as we kiss under the makeshift downpour.