If there was anyone I could trust, it was him. “There's someone I need to speak with before we return to Avaline,” I said as we reached the elevator.
Understanding and concern flickered in his eyes. “Your young man?”
“Yes.” I couldn’t deny it. “I need to see him again. To tell him...” I trailed off, still unaccustomed to articulating emotions I had spent a lifetime suppressing.
“That you love him?” Sébastien's voice was gentle, devoid of judgment or surprise, as if he had recognized this truth before I had acknowledged it myself.
The words sent a jolt through me, not because they were unexpected, but because they were right. “Yes,” I admitted. “That I love him. I want a chance to see if what we have could be real.”
Sébastien's expression remained neutral, but I caught the softening around his eyes, the slight upturn of his lips. “I understand, Your Grace. I'll inform the valet to have one of our cars brought around immediately.”
“Thank you, Sébastien.” I reached out, clasping his shoulder in a gesture of gratitude. “For everything. For your loyalty, your discretion, your support. I know this isn't what you expected when you took this position.”
A rare smile broke through Sébastien's professional facade, warm and genuine. “On the contrary, Your Grace. I have always believed you deserved happiness. If this young man brings you joy, then I am pleased for you.”
In that moment, I was reminded that family wasn't always defined by blood. Sometimes it was found in the people who stood by you, who supported you unconditionally, who wanted your happiness as fervently as their own.
“I'll handle things here,” Sébastien continued as the elevator arrived with a soft ping. “Take as much time as you need.”
I stepped into the elevator, turning to face him as the doors began to close. “I won't be long. Just long enough to either win his heart or have mine broken.”
Sébastien's expression softened further, a rare tenderness in his usually composed features. “For what it's worth, Your Grace, I believe you'll find the former more likely than the latter.”
As the elevator doors shut, I stood alone with the weight of his words and the thundering of my heart.
Love. I was in love with Theo.
The realization wasn't a sudden epiphany but rather a crystallization of what had been growing within me since our first genuine conversation, a recognition of something I had never experienced before and therefore had lacked the vocabulary to name.
I loved his kindness, his courage, his honesty. He saw me not as a duke, but as a man worthy of desire and respect. I loved how he made me feel—freer, braver, more authentic than I had ever allowed myself to be.
And I was going to tell him. Today. Before I lost my nerve, before duty pulled me back into my old life. I would lay my heart bare, offer him everything, and ask for a chance to build something real together.
Pulling out my phone, I quickly texted Vincent, asking for his assistance in visiting The Ranch one last time.
By the time the elevator reached the lobby, I had the map coordinates input into my phone’s GPS. The valet waited just outside the main entrance, a black Range Rover SUV idling at the curb. I moved toward it with purpose, each step taking me closer to Theo and theconversation that would either begin a new chapter of my life or close the book on what might have been.
As I slid into the driver's seat, adjusting the mirrors and familiarizing myself with the controls, déjà vu washed over me. Once again, I was behind the wheel, heading toward Dove Canyon, heart pounding with anticipation. But this time was different. This time, I was running toward the future I wanted to build, toward the man who had shown me what freedom tasted like.
The engine roared to life beneath my touch, a powerful rumble matching my determination. I pulled away from the curb, merging into the flow of traffic, my mind already miles ahead, already with Theo, imagining his surprised expression when he saw me, rehearsing the words I would say, preparing myself for the possibility of rejection while clinging to the hope of reconciliation.
I had no idea what would happen next, but for once in my life, the uncertainty felt exhilarating rather than terrifying.
I had a long drive ahead of me, but I didn't mind. Each mile would bring me closer to him, to the conversation that would either begin a new chapter or close the book on what might have been. Either way, I would know. I would have taken the risk, made the choice, reached for what I wanted instead of settling for what was expected.
And that, in itself, was a kind of freedom I had never known before.
Chapter 24
Theo
The walls of Jamael's office felt closer today, like they were closing in on me. I shifted on the couch, picking at a loose thread on my jeans. That stupid clock on his desk was crazy loud, tick-tick-ticking away while I tried to figure out how to start this conversation.
“So,” Jamael started, his voice all therapist-smooth, “you've had more client encounters since our last meeting.”
I nodded, still staring at my shoes. “Two clients. After the party. They took me back to their suite.” The memory flashed—hands everywhere, two voices giving instructions while I just went on autopilot, my brain basically checking out. “And a shift in the Dark Room.”
“And how did that make you feel?” Jamael asked, with that gentle push therapists are so good at.
