Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Tania
The morning sunlight filters through the sheer curtains, painting the room in soft golden hues. I lie awake, my head resting against Levi’s chest, his steady heartbeat the only sound in the quiet. His arm is draped over me, holding me close, as though he’s afraid I might slip away.
I tilt my head, watching his face as he sleeps. The lines of tension that usually crease his brow are gone, replaced by a peaceful expression I rarely see. It’s moments like this that make my chest ache—moments where I see the man I fell in love with all those years ago.
And the truth is, I never stopped loving him.
I’ve been fighting it for so long, convincing myself that the walls I built around my heart were strong enough to keep him out. But every look, every touch, every vulnerable word has chipped away at them until there’s nothing left. Levi has always had a way of breaking through my defenses, even when I don’t want him to.
But now, as I lie here wrapped in his warmth, I realize I don’t want to fight it anymore.
Levi stirs beside me, his arm tightening around my waist as he wakes. His green eyes blink open, and when he sees me watching him, a slow smile spreads across his face.
“Morning,” he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep.
“Morning,” I reply, my own lips curving into a small smile.
He leans down, brushing a kiss to my forehead before pulling back to look at me. “You okay?”
I nod, though the words feel heavier than they should. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
It’s not entirely true. My mind is racing, caught between the fear of repeating the past and the hope that things could be different this time. Levi has shown me so much in the past few weeks—his vulnerability, his sincerity, his willingness to fight for us. But the scars of our past still linger, reminding me of the risk I’m taking.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Levi says, his hand brushing a strand of hair from my face.
“I guess I am,” I admit, letting out a soft laugh. “I just... I want to believe this is real. That you’re real.”
“I am,” he says, his voice steady but gentle. “And I’ll prove it to you every day if I have to.”
His words send a warmth spreading through my chest, but they also make my throat tighten with emotion. I look away, needing a moment to collect myself.
“I’m scared, Levi,” I whisper. “I’m scared of getting hurt again.”
“I know,” he says, his hand cupping my cheek and turning me back to face him. “And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you never feel that way again.”
His eyes hold mine, and in that moment, I see nothing but honesty. No games, no pretense—just the man who’s been fighting to win me back.
The day passes in a blur of mundane tasks, but my thoughts remain firmly fixed on Levi. His words, his actions, the way he’s been trying to show me he’s changed—it all lingers in my mind, pulling at the pieces of my heart I’ve been trying to keep closed.
By evening, I can’t take it anymore. I need to face this head-on, to decide if I’m willing to take the leap of faith that’s been hovering in front of me.
I find Levi in the kitchen, his back to me as he chops vegetables for dinner. The sight is so domestic, so unlike the Levi I used to know, that it makes me smile despite myself.
“Need help?” I ask, leaning against the doorway.
He turns, surprised but pleased by my presence. “Not unless you’ve magically learned how to cook.”
I laugh, stepping closer. “I’ve learned a thing or two.”
“Is that so?” he teases, setting the knife down and turning to face me fully. “Show me.”
I hesitate for a moment, the weight of what I’m about to say settling over me. But then I take a deep breath, meeting his gaze. “Levi, I need to tell you something.”
His expression shifts, the teasing smile replaced by quiet curiosity. “What is it?”
“I love you,” I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “I’ve always loved you. And I’m tired of pretending I don’t.”
His eyes widen slightly, and for a moment, he looks stunned. But then he closes the distance between us, his hands cradling my face as he stares at me with an intensity that makes my knees weak.
“Tania,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I let out a shaky laugh. “I’m still scared, Levi. But I think... I think I want to try. I want to see if we can make this work.”
“You won’t regret it,” he says, his voice fierce but soft. “I swear, Tania, I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret this.”
He leans down, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that’s tender but full of promise. It’s a kiss that feels like the start of something new, something real.