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Without that, without my core purpose, who am I?
Pushing open the heavy glass doors that lead out into the open, I step outside into the crisp air. After days trapped in a cramped cell, the sudden expanse of sky takes my breath away. I close my eyes, letting the gentle warmth soak into my skin. When I open them, Alessa is there, leaning casually against the hood of a sleek town car.
My heart leaps and the knot of tension within me finally unfurls. I run down the steps and then I'm in her arms, holding her close, breathing her in. Her embrace is fierce, protective, flooded with wordless emotion. We cling together without speaking, our bodies communicating what cannot be captured in mere words.
Finally Alessa draws back, studying my face with tender concern. Her emerald eyes are bright with unshed tears. "Are you okay?"
Her voice, low and smoky, wraps around me like a caress. I manage a tremulous smile. "I am now."
The answering smile that curves her full lips holds a promise. Alessa takes my hand, opening the back seat car door with the other. "Then let's get out of here," she murmurs. "I'm allergic to law enforcement."
I let out a half-laugh, half-sob, as I slide gratefully into the car, settling in close beside her. As her driver guides the car smoothly into traffic, Alessa keeps my hand clasped in hers, grounding me. Her thumb strokes gently over my knuckles and her expression is tender, touched with lingering worry.
"How are you doing, really?" she asks quietly, even though I know her driver can't hear us at all back here. "I know that couldn't have been easy. Any of it."
I consider for a moment, taking comfort from her nearness. "It was hard," I admit finally. "But it's over now."
She lifts one eyebrow in a wordless question.
"I quit," I say simply, and her mouth falls open. If I wasn't so emotional, I'd probably laugh. "Of course I quit," I go on. "What else could I do, Alessa?"
Her face darkens with worry. "I don't want you to change who you are for my sake—" she begins, but I squeeze her hand.
"That life shaped me, made me who I am. Letting it go feels...unmooring. But it was time." I exhale slowly. "I don't belong there anymore."
Alessa watches me intently, brow creased. She lifts our joined hands and brushes a feather-light kiss to my knuckles. "Where do you belong, then?"
Her eyes search mine, and I see my own hopes and fears reflected there. I think of the trials we've faced, overcoming impossible odds again and again. A bittersweet smile tugs at my lips.
"With you," I tell her. "And by the way…I love you."
Emotion flashes across her face and she catches her breath. For an endless moment we stay suspended there, and then she smiles. "I love you, too," she says, and then lifts her other hand to cup my cheek, drawing me near until our foreheads touch. "Together then," she murmurs, breath fanning my lips. "Oh my God, I love you so much ithurts." I chuckle with her, but then she turns serious. "We'll find a new life for you together. As partners. Lovers. Soulmates." She pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. "You and me against the world, darling. That's all I want."
Her words sink into my heart, sealing the cracks, making me whole. I close the scant distance between us to seal her promise in a kiss. Her lips yield beneath mine, tongue sliding sensually along my own. Kissing her feels like…
Salvation.
I pour every ounce of my love, longing, and relief into our connection until we're both breathless and trembling. When we finally break apart, Alessa's eyes are glowing.
"Just wait until we get home, Natalie," she whispers. "I'm never going to let you leave my bed again."
Home. Together. To start a life we've earned and fought for.
I lean forward to brush one last tender kiss to her lips, a promise of all that's still to come. "No arguments here."
* * *
We spend a long time in bed, long enough that the shadows are stretching out lazily by the time we take a break. Take a break to laugh, to talk, to confess our love to each other, again and again and again.
I'll never tire of saying it. And I'll never tire of hearing it returned.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
After a while, though, our conversation turns to more practical matters. The thought of pouring my energy into our shared cause, helping vulnerable women rebuild their lives, sparks a sense of rightness within me.
I could still fight for justice. But on myownterms.
Alessa's eyes shine as we discuss our ideas for the future. "We need to ensure the Ruby's profits fund the programs," she muses.
