“How can you be sure?” The question burst out, raw and desperate. “How can you trust me when I don’t trust myself?”
She shifted closer, awkward around her belly but determined. “Because I’ve seen you, Victor. Both sides of you. And neither one has ever done anything but protect me.”
“Once.” His free hand clenched. “Last week was one time. That’s not enough data to?—”
“Stop.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “Stop treating this like a medical problem you can diagnose. Some things can’t be predicted or controlled. Sometimes you just have to trust.”
“I don’t know how.”
“Then learn.” Her eyes were serious in the firelight. “With me. Right now.”
His breath caught. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want you.” Her cheeks flushed but she didn’t look away. “Human or Hyde or both. I want all of you, and I’m tired of pretending I don’t.”
Heat flooded his body and Hyde surged closer to the surface, eager and hungry.
Mate. Ours. Want.
“Chloe, I—” Victor fought for words. For reason. “You deserve better than someone who might lose control.”
“I deserve someone who cares about me. Who shows up in blizzards to make sure I’m safe. Who looks at me like I’m precious.” She shifted her hand to his chest, fingers splaying over his racing heart. “I deserve you. If you’ll let yourself have this.”
Victor closed his eyes. The war inside him raged—Hyde demanding, his human side terrified.
But beneath both was a truth he’d been avoiding for weeks.
He loved her.
Loved her courage and her kindness. Loved how she faced down his monster without flinching. Loved the way she touched him like he was worth touching.
And maybe—just maybe—that love was stronger than his fear.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he said, opening his eyes to meet her gaze. “Every moment this week has been torture.”
“Then stop torturing yourself.” she leaned in, breath ghosting across his lips. “Stop running. Just… be here. With me.”
He kissed her before he could talk himself out of it. Slower this time. Deeper. Pouring everything he couldn’t say into the press of lips and tongue.
She made a sound that shot straight through him. Her hand fisted tighter in his shirt, pulling him closer.
The baby kicked between them and he pulled back with a startled laugh.
“Someone has opinions,” she said breathlessly.
“Smart baby.” His hand settled over her belly, marveling at the movement beneath his palm. “Knows to protect their mother.”
“I don’t need protecting from you.”
“Maybe I need protecting from myself.”
She caught his face between her hands. “Then let me. Let me show you that you’re not dangerous. That you’re exactly what I need.”
His eyes burned. When had he last cried? Years. Decades, maybe. But Chloe’s absolute faith in him broke something open in his chest.
“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered.
“Too bad.” She smiled. “You’re stuck with me anyway.”
