I nod. Very slightly.
His entire expression softens as his eyes search mine. “Don’t you know?” His voice goes tense then, and there’s a pinch of panic in it. “Ophelia. Don’t you know that I love you?”
I can’t speak. I bow my head and choke on a sob.
He closes the distance between us. Tenderly, he lifts my head and cradles my face in his hand. “I love you,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine. Deep, breathless devotion in his words. I try to keep myself together, but my bottom lip swells and trembles.
He kisses my eyes. My forehead. “I love you,” he repeats, kissing my ear, the space below it. “I love you.”
He pulls me against his chest. I cling to him, burying myself in him, my fingers knotting his shirt.
“I love you too…” My voice comes out a shaky whisper, tears escaping freely now. Happy tears. Relieved tears. “I was afraid that you just…wanted to fix me.”
He lets out a soft, near-laugh. “I wouldn’t change a thing about you. I was hoping you’d fixme. You opened me up. Every wall I threw up, you knocked down. I don’t have anywhere to hide. Not with you.” He pauses, then corrects himself, “I don’twantto hide. Not anymore.”
I rest my cheek on his chest. Beyond the fire escape, the sun comes up. It spills light over the tall, blocky city buildings.
And, just like that, Artemis puts down her bow and arrows.
I no longer feel hunted. I feel safe. Worshipped. I survived. I made it home. I close my eyes, inhale his deep, masculine scent, and slowly, I give myself permission to let go.
We sit like this for…I don’t know how long. Eventually, Phantom speaks. “Can we try this again?” he asks. “I’d like to take you out tonight. Not as Ophelia and Phantom. As Alex and Ruby.”
“Are you capable of that? Letting go of control?”
“I’m capable of anything, as long as it’s with you.”
I nestle in tighter. I can hear the beat of his heart, strong as a drum. “Okay. Yes. I’d like that…” I stop myself from sayingSir, and self-correct with, “…Alex.”
He kisses the top of my head, and I feel the smile on his lips.
PART VII
GIVE AND TAKE
36
Phantom.Three Months Later.
The club is packed tonight.
We tend to get busy in the summer. I don’t know if people have all gone a little mad from the heat or if they’re just feeling thosesummertime feelings, but for some reason, we always get an onslaught of new members who, eventually, trickle out again in the winter.
It also may have something to do with the popularity of Ophelia’s Sub Club. After gettingmultiplerequests to keep it going, Ophelia finally caved. Ophelia hosts it here now, at the Seekers’ Club, but as a submissives-and-switches-only event once a month. It tends to be quite the party, and although I’m not sure what exactly goes on, I do know that I always end up cleaning popcorn kernels out of the aftercare room the next day.
I wouldn’t mind that the club is so busy, except that tonight I have to shut it down early. I glance at my watch. I can hear the crack of a whip and a shout from upstairs. They’re deep in scene. I’ll give them a few more minutes.
It’s quiet in the downstairs lounge. I’m standing guard by the door; I’ve given Princess the night off—she made a friend, and that friend is here tonight. They don’t play, but they’ve been chatting all night by the bar. It’s sweet, but I still keep them in my periphery, just in case. The only other living soul is Dorian. He’s curled up in his favorite spot—the long couch that divides the space. The book he’s lost in today is Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House.”
“You can go to a library if you want,” I inform him. “It’s quieter.”
He turns the page. “The dulcet sounds of screaming calm my nerves.”
“You missed a calling as a serial killer, Dorian.”
He sighs mournfully. “I know.”
Dorian’s gaze lifts from his book. He’s studying me with the same intensity he was studying the pages earlier. “What?” I prompt.
