~ ROSELLE ~

I nod, unable to find my voice. A genuine smile spreads across his face, the first real one I’ve seen since yesterday.

"Say it," he says gently. "I need to hear you say it."

"Yes," I whisper. "Yes, I’ll stay. Yes, I’ll fight this with you. Yes, I choose you, Ronan. Every single day, I choose you."

The moment the words leave my mouth, he pulls me close and kisses me.

His lips crash down on mine like a man who’s been drowning and I’m his first breath of air. His hands cup my face, his thumbs brushing away the last of my tears as he tilts my head back, deepening the kiss with a low, guttural groan that vibrates through my entire body.

I melt into him instantly, my fingers clutching the front of his shirt as if he might disappear. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, claiming, tasting, devouring every inch of me like he’s trying to memorize the feel of me, the taste of me. The kiss is fierce and hungry, full of all the fear, relief, and love we’ve both been holding back. He kisses me like the world might end tomorrow, like this moment is the only thing that matters.

A soft whimper escapes me as he backs me up against the nearest wall, his body pressing flush against mine. One of his hands slides down to my waist, gripping me possessively and pulling me even closer until there’s no space left between us. His other hand tangles in my hair, tugging just enough to send sparks of pleasure down my spine.

When he finally pulls back, we’re both breathless.

"That was quite a scare," he says, his forehead resting against mine. "Don’t ever do that to me again, Roselle. Don’t ever push me away like that without talking to me first."

"I won’t," I promise, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I need you to promise me something else," he says, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. His expression is serious now, determined. "Promise me that whenever issues like this arise, whenever you’re scared, whenever you have doubts, whenever someone is planting seeds of fear in your mind, you’ll come to me first. You’ll talk to me about it. You won’t make decisions for both of us without consulting me."

"I promise," I say immediately, and I mean it with every fiber of my being.

"Good," he says, pulling me back into his embrace and holding me like he’s afraid I might disappear if he lets go. "Because I can’t lose you, Rose. I can’t. You’re my anchor. You’re the reason I want to live. You’re the reason I believe in tomorrow."

He kisses the top of my head, and I feel the tension in his body slowly begin to ease.

"I love you," I say, speaking the words aloud for the first time. "I love you so much it terrifies me."

He pulls back and looks at me, his eyes searching mine.

"Say that again," he whispers.

"I love you," I repeat, and this time the words come easier. "I love you, Ronan. I’m in love with you. And I’m sorry it takes me almost losing you to realize that I need to actually say it out loud."

His smile is blinding, and he kisses me again, softer this time but no less passionate.

When we finally break apart, we’re both crying and laughing at the same time.

"Come on," he says, taking my hand and leading me out of the closet. "I’m going to call Nikolai and tell him to cancel whatever arrangements he’s making. And then we’re going to sit down and figure out our next steps. Together."

"Together," I echo, squeezing his hand.

Hours later, Ronan and I are sitting on the couch, our legs intertwined, a cup of tea growing cold on the coffee table in front of us. We’ve been talking for hours.

"I’m going to have a conversation with my mother," Ronan says, running his fingers through my hair as I rest my head on his shoulder. "You have to agree... it’s not going to be yelling, but an honest one. She crosses a line by coming to you without talking to me first. But I also understand that she’s coming from a place of fear."

"Don’t be too hard on her," I say softly. "She loves you. She just doesn’t know how else to protect you."

"I know," he says. "But there have to be boundaries. She can’t manipulate you into leaving me. That’s not acceptable, no matter how good her intentions are."

I nod against his shoulder, agreeing with him.

The sudden knock on the door makes Ronan and me exchange a glance.

"It has to be Nikolai," Ronan says with a sigh. "He’s been trying to reach me through the mind-link, and I’ve been blocking him. I don’t know what it is. I told him to take care of work." A quiet chuckle escapes him as he pushes himself off the couch. "I’ll be right back."

I watch him cross the room and open the door.

A second later, he steps back inside with Nikolai following close behind.

A smile tugs at my lips. One look at Nikolai’s face tells me he’s relieved—maybe even excited—to see Ronan and me together again. My cheeks warm under his knowing expression before he even says a word.

Nikolai offers me a respectful bow before turning his full attention to Ronan. The smile on his face fades, replaced by the serious expression I’ve come to associate with bad news.

"I hate to interrupt, but it’s urgent," Nikolai says. "Ethan is back, and he’s causing a nuisance. He’s demanding to see you."

Ronan’s jaw immediately tightens, the warmth from moments ago vanishing from his face. Annoyance flashes across his features, and I instantly know this Ethan isn’t someone he considers a friend.

"Who’s Ethan?" I ask, turning my attention to Nikolai.

"Someone who shouldn’t be here," Ronan mutters, his tone clipped.

Nikolai hesitates for a brief moment before answering.

"Ronan’s cousin."