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STOP. PLEASE. STOP.
It hurt more than ever to remember those words, knowing now that he had also been the one to utter them.
STOP. PLEASE. STOP.
But it was the kind of pain that he could only welcome, and when he lifted his head, intending to tell her this—-
It was then Andreus saw Zoe swallow hard, and the part of him that was weary and cynical wondered if all of this was going to turn into another stolen taste of heaven.
"What is it, Zoe?"
Something was clearly bothering her, and whatever it fucking was, he just wanted to get it over with.
"You asked me why I suddenly reached out to you, and it's because...it's because of her."
He could already feel himself turning rigid as he realized what Zoe was saying.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
But he was just so fucking terrified to start hoping again.
Stop. Please. Stop.
It was all he could think of when he heard footsteps coming from Zoe's kitchen.
Somebody fucking stop me from hoping, please just fucking end this if it's not her, please God.
But he had barely started to turn when she threw herself in his arms.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
She was crying.
And fuck if his own eyes weren't fucking start to itch again.
Hallie clasped his face between her hands, and he was so, so beautiful and so, so precious—-everything about this man was so heartbreakingly precious that she could barely breathe, now that she had the right to touch him again.
My Andreus.
Her heart felt as if it was about to burst, knowing that this time and forever, she had the right to think of his name again.
My Andreus.
She could say those words out loud if she wanted to. Cry them out, whisper them into his ear. His name, and everything else that was of Andreus, belonged to her, just like everything that was Hallie belonged to him.
She heard him breathe raggedly, and knowing that he was about to speak, Hallie forestalled his words with a finger on his lips.
"I know, my love," she whispered. "I know it isn't quite over yet, but I want you to trust me this time. All these years, you've done your best to protect me. And now...it's my turn, Andreus."
Andreus sucked his breath as a fragile smile played over her lips. It was almost the exact kind of smile he had seen in his dreams, only this one...
This smile also made her eyes shine like the way they used to.
"Watch me fight for you, and who knows?" she teased shakily. "I might just blow you away."
Chapter Twelve
It was all a ruse, she told him while lying in the circle of his arms, on their flight back to Corpus Christi. I wanted everyone, you most of all, to think I was in Tokyo. Otherwise, I knew you'd do everything you could to stop me. You'd never have let me look for Zoe. You'd never have let me know the truth.
All he could do was tighten his hold on her, a part of him still terrified that she would suddenly change her mind about him.
I love you, Andreus.
Just hearing her sleepily whisper the words had him swallowing hard.
Let this be real. Let this last. Please. God. Please.
He watched her yawn. Saw her eyes slowly drift close. And all he could do was watch her.
In all those weeks Andreus been married, he had done his fucking best never to think of Hallie. And for the most part, he had succeeded. It was only when sleep held his mind in shackles that Andreus had been unable to lie to himself, and he would always end up dreaming about divorcing Monique and fucking Hallie the first chance he got.
I love you, princess.
But now that he finally had her back in his life, and what he could only once dream of had come true—-
All Andreus wanted to do was worship and cherish her.
All he could do was savor the silky texture of her hair between his fingers.
Inhale the fragrance of her skin.
Brush his lips against the pale delicate flesh of her cheek.
I love her, God.
This girl was his life. His soul. His world.
And that was why he was not surprised at all to feel himself sick with terror, when Hallie told him of her plans to confront Monique...alone.
"What for?" he asked tautly.
"Because you deserve to be completely free," she answered simply.
"If this is about the rumors—-"
"Oh, please. We're Afxisi. Like we ever cared about rumors. Duh."
While he was unable to keep his lips from twitching at the way she rolled her eyes at him, Andreus still couldn't help feeling increasingly on edge as he drove her to the penthouse apartment he had once shared with Monique.
"I can feel you worrying..."
"I'd feel a lot better if you'd tell me what this is about."
"You'll just have to trust me on this." She saw the way his grip on the steering wheel tighten at her answer, and her heart felt like it was about to burst again.
