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“My parents divorced when I was just a kid,” I begin, my voice barely more than a whisper. “It was ugly, full of spite and selfishness. They were so caught up in their own battle that they never stopped to think about what it was doing to me.”
I feel Kristine's hand tighten around mine, her touch a silent encouragement to continue.
“I made a vow back then,” I say, my gaze locked with hers. “That if I ever found myself in that position, I wouldn't let it consume me. I wouldn't become like them—blind to the collateral damage.”
The memories are a dark cloud in my mind, but as I share them with Kristine, they seem to lose some of their power over me. It's as if, by revealing these scars, I'm reinforcing the armor around us both.
“That's why I see your resilience as something extraordinary,” I tell her. “You're fighting for Asher with every fiber of your being. You're ensuring he never feels forgotten or becomes collateral damage due to his father.”
Kristine's eyes glisten with unshed tears as she processes my words. There's an understanding that passes between us, a shared knowledge of pain and the fierce desire to protect someone else from it.
“You're not like them, Ethan,” she says softly. “You could have easily turned out that way, but you chose a different path. And I thank you on behalf of myself and my son.”
I nod, caressing her cheek, feeling the truth of her words settle into my bones.
“It wasn't easy,” I admit. “I had to learn to build walls to survive. But with you... it feels like those walls are coming down.”
Kristine moves closer, wrapping her arms around me in a gesture that speaks louder than any words ever could.
“And they should,” she whispers against my chest. “Because we're not defined by our past. We're writing our own story here—one where Asher grows up knowing he's always the priority and so isourhappiness.” She glances off for a second. “I think that's one of my greatest takeaways in all this.Ideserve happiness too.”
I nod. “You do.”
“And I want to thank you for that. Had I not gone into Club Allure, I would have spent the past couple of months alone. But now, I have you.”
I kiss her lips gently. “And I have you.”
The night outside is still fraught with threats and shadows that seek to tear us apart. But inside this penthouse—the sanctuary we've created for ourselves—the only thing that exists is the bond we've forged through honesty and mutual respect.
As Kristine lifts her head to look at me once more, there's a fire in her eyes that reflects back into mine—a fire that says we'll burn through whatever tries to harm us or those we love.
“We'll get through this,” she states with conviction.
“Yes,” I reply with equal certainty. “Together.”
We sink onto the plush sofa, our bodies instinctively curling into one another. Our conversation ebbs and flows through fears and strategies, plans and reassurances. But it's more than just words. It's the communion of two hearts fighting against a tide threatening to pull them under.
Kristine rests her head on my chest, her breaths syncing with mine. “How do we balance this? Facing such threats while... while trying to build something together?”
Her question hangs in the air, mingling with the warmth that radiates from our closeness and the fireplace.
“We hold onto each other,” I answer simply because at that moment it seems like the only truth worth holding onto.
The strain of the unknown is etched away by swapping stories about our childhoods, college years, and our desires for the future.
We talk into the night, words giving way to kisses and caresses that speak louder than any promise could. And when sleep finally claims us, it's with an understanding that whatever tomorrow brings, we face it not as two individuals but as a force united by something far more powerful than fear—love.
As dawn creeps in and Kristine sleeps peacefully beside me, I lay awake. My mind is abuzz with thoughts of Dexter and Brandon—predators circling their prey. But they underestimate us.
With every beat of my heart next to Kristine's, resolve fortifies within me.I'm protecting my future.
Kristine sleeps well into the new day. Beside me, her breaths are a gentle cadence against the silence.
She shifts in her sleep, and instinctively, I pull her closer. The weight of my promise hangs over me like a sacred oath. “I will keep you and Asher safe,” I had vowed, and with those words, a bond was sealed—a bond I cannot, will not, break.
Kristine's hand finds mine beneath the sheets, her fingers intertwining with mine even as she dreams. In her sleep, she seeks comfort. In her wakefulness, she exudes resilience. It's this duality that draws me to her more each day.
I lay there, watching over her as day creeps into night's territory. The promise I made wasn't just about protection—it was a commitment to our future. A declaration that she's become the center of my world.
