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The tip of her tongue peeked out, dampening her bottom lip, but instead of listening, she began backing toward the door. With a frustrated growl, I climbed off the bed and prowled toward her. Her eyes dropped down my naked body, landing on my cock that was begging for her attention. I wanted her soft hands wrapped around me, fisting me as I pumped into her grasp before I came all over her
flat stomach. I pictured rubbing it into her skin, marking her as mine with my seed and scent just as the ink on her wrist did.
Nova swallowed roughly and reached behind her, twisting the doorknob. “If you want me, put on some clothes and come downstairs. I’ll prove to you that you aren’t dreaming.”
I made a grab for her as she pulled the door open and made a run for it. “Nova, do not fucking run from me.”
“Clothes, Ryan!” she called when I stepped through the door. She was already at the staircase. “You’re going to embarrass Cali and Maria if you come downstairs naked.”
Muttering a curse, I slammed the door shut and stomped over to my suitcase. Not bothering with boxer briefs, I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a black T-shirt. I was going to turn her ass red for running away from me and wasting our precious time together.
As I turned to run after her again, my phone went off, and I stopped midstep. Frowning, I shifted my head to find my phone sitting on the bedside table. That annoying-as-fuck sound was loud, echoing off the walls of the bedroom. I blinked, realizing that I wasn’t dreaming…
Was I?
Hands shaking, I crossed to the table and picked up my phone. Seeing my mom’s name on the screen, I lifted it. “Mom?” I rasped out, my heart pounding against my ribs, my hands sweating.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded as soon as she heard my voice. Vaguely, I could hear music thumping in the background, telling me she was at Iron Hand.
I swallowed the knot of emotion that was starting to choke me. “Mom… Is this real?”
“Is what real, l’venok?” Her voice turned softer. “Ryan, are you okay? Where are you?”
“I-I found her.” My eyes returned to the door, and my breathing sped up. “Nova. She’s here. She’s…alive.”
“Oh, Ryan. I knew something like this might happen. That’s why I called. I was afraid with her birthday being today, it would be bad for you. Tell me where you are,” she said after a moment. “I’m on my way out the door now.”
“Colombia,” I told her even as I was walking toward the door. “Hurry. Bring Pop, too. I’m getting married as soon as you get here.”
I hung up before she could argue with me further. Pocketing my phone, I took off running. The house was so big, and when I got to the bottom of the stairs, I had no idea which way Nova had gone. Then I heard a deep laugh I recognized and followed the sound. The door was open, and I walked in, only to stop in my tracks when I saw everyone who was in the room.
Garret was sitting on one of the two couches, a bowl of food in one hand and a spoon in the other. His parents were across from him, both of them drinking coffee. Their eyes widened when they saw me, but Felicity jumped to her feet, a welcoming smile lighting her face. “Ryan, it’s so good to see you, sweetheart. Come join us. We just got home and—”
“Where is she?” I demanded, not willing to spare so much as a second, even for Nova’s mother. “Where did she go?”
Her smile only brightened. “She’s right behind you, sweetheart.”
Spinning around, I found Nova standing in the doorway. She was wringing her hands, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. “Hi,” she said shyly.
Moisture filled my eyes, and I took an unsteady step toward her. My breathing became more and more labored the closer I got to her. The tears blinded me, making it impossible to see her beautiful face. Less than a foot away from her, my knees gave out, and I dropped to them. Grabbing her by the hips, I fought back a sob at how warm and soft she felt.
“You’re real?” I was finally able to speak through the boulder in my throat. “This really isn’t a dream?”
She stroked her fingers through my hair, pressing my face into her chest. “Don’t I feel real to you?” she asked in a voice just loud enough for my ears alone, soothingly massaging my scalp.
“You feel amazing.” My voice was muffled against her shirt and bra, and I tightened my hands bruisingly on her hips. My tears soaked into the layers of cloth, and my body began to quake with the effort it took to hold on to my emotions.
For months, my tears had been absent. There had been none when I saw that broken body, my necklace hanging around her neck. None when I watched her casket being lowered into the ground. Everything shut down, keeping me from grieving as those around me had done.
But now, as I held on to her, there was no holding them back. My emotions swept over me with the force of a tsunami, robbing me of the oxygen in my lungs and the strength to lift my head.
Her touch grounded me, her heartbeat under my ear reminding me that this was, in fact, reality. A million different questions invaded my mind, trying to destroy the joy of holding the one person I couldn’t live without, but I pushed them aside. I didn’t want answers, not yet. For the moment, all I wanted was her.
“Nova.” I tightened my hold on her, lifting her as I got to my feet. “Tell your family goodnight.”
She wrapped her legs around my waist, her face pressing into my neck. “Night, everyone!”
We were gone before anyone could reply, my strides long and purposeful as I carried her up the stairs and to the room I’d left only minutes before. The slamming of the door barely registered as I flipped the lock and crossed to the bed.
