Chapter 16
Norri
The soft knock on the door jolted me awake, my heart pounding in my chest. I blinked away the remnants of sleep, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of the apartment. Orion was fussing softly in his crib, but the sound was muted, distant.
I swung my legs off the couch, the cold floorboards greeting my bare feet. I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and made my way to the door, my heart fluttering with an unsettling mix of anticipation and trepidation.
I didn't like unexpected visits, much less without Gali around.
As I reached for the doorknob, I paused, my breath hitching in my throat. Could it be Gali? Or was it Mrs. Hargrove, checking in on me once again? Either way, I didn't know how to react.
The knock came again, this time a little louder. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever was on the other side. As I pulled the door open, I braced myself, my grip tightening on the doorknob.
Gali stood on the other side, the faint glow of the hallway light casting shadows across his face. I should have checked through the peep-hole before opening the door, but it was too late for that now.
His hair was disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes, but there was no mistaking the familiar, beloved lines of his face. I would have recognized him even if we were worlds apart.
I stared at him for a moment, shock rooting me to the spot. Then, anger and relief surged through me in equal measure, and I found my voice."Gali,"I breathed, finding it difficult to speak."You're back."
He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off, my voice growing stronger."No, wait. Don't. Just... come inside."I stepped back, my body stiff as I allowed him to enter.
As Gali crossed the threshold, the apartment seemed to shrink, his presence filling every corner. He was so tall, so broad-shouldered, so... him. It felt surreal, seeing him here after so many months apart.
He stood there, his eyes darting around the room, taking in the piles of laundry, the stacks of dishes in the sink, the general air of disarray. He would scold me right now if he didn’t feel guilty for having left.
Then his gaze landed on me, lingering, before flicking to the crib where Orion lay sleeping.
Gali took a step towards me, his hands reaching out, but I recoiled, my body language clear. I wasn't ready to be touched, not after everything.
He stopped, his hands dropping to his sides, his expression guarded."Norri, I... I have so much to tell you."
I crossed my arms over my chest, my expression hard."You do, don't you? Like, for starters, where the hell have you been exactly? What took you so long? You didn't tell me you were going to be away for so long."
Gali's gaze fell to the floor, his shoulders slumping."It was... complicated. I didn't have a choice, Norri. I had to go. I had to make things right."
I scoffed, my voice trembling with barely suppressed emotion. "Make what right, Gali? Tell me, how was leaving your mate and newborn son making anything right?"
Gali looked up, pain etched into the lines of his face."I never meant for that to happen, Norri. You have to believe me."
I stared at him, my eyes searching his face for any sign of deceit. But all I saw was sincerity, desperation even."I don't know what to believe, Gali,"I admitted softly."But I'm not going to stand here and pretend everything's fine. I can't just forgive and forget."
Gali took a step closer, his voice pleading."I'm not asking you to, Norri. But I need you to understand. I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted any of this."
I wanted to believe him. I really did. But there was a part of me that was still angry, still hurt, and still scared.I didn't know how I could heal it.
"And what about the money, Gali?"I said, gesturing to the backpack he had set down by the door."Is that the money you were talking about?"
He hesitated, then reached into the backpack, pulling out a wad of cash."This is the payment. The job was... risky, but it was worth it. This is enough to start over, Norri. To finally get away from all this. From El Lobo. From all of it."
I took the money, my fingers brushing against his, and counted it. There was a lot. More than enough to start a new life."So, what now?"I asked, looking up at him.
Gali's expression softened, his gaze filling with something I hadn't seen in him for so long. Hope."Now,"he said,"we leave. We pack our bags, take Orion, and we leave."
I stuffed some of the cash into my pocket — just for safekeeping and nothing else — my heart pounding with a mixture of relief and lingering anger. I looked up at Gali, my expression guarded."And what about El Lobo? Is he still...?"
Gali shook his head, his expression resolute."You don't need to worry about El Lobo anymore. I made sure of it."
I raised an eyebrow, skepticism coloring my tone.Did he kill him? No, I didn't think that was the case.
"How? Just like that, he's going to leave us alone?"
Gali sighed, running a hand through his hair."It wasn't easy, and I didn't want to do it, but I made a deal. With Marcus."
I froze, my breath hitching.I remembered the name. I never thought I would hear it again.
"Marcus? You made a deal with him?"
I didn’t know much about that. Gali hadn’t told me, probably thinking it was the best way to keep me safe.
He nodded after processing my question, his eyes steady on mine."I know it's dangerous, but he promised me that he'd convince El Lobo to back off. He swore he'd make sure we were safe."
I shook my head, disbelief washing over me."Safe? Gali, this is El Lobo we're talking about. He's not the kind of man you just convince to change his mind. He's ruthless."
Gali closed the distance between us, taking my hands in his."Norri, please. You have to trust me on this. I know what I'm doing. I didn't do this lightly. Marcus has been working for El Lobo for years. He knows how to handle him. And he owes me. He'll keep his word."
I looked down at our hands, at the contrast of our skin tones, at how small mine looked in his. I wanted to believe him, to trust that he had a plan, that he knew what he was doing. But the fear gnawing at me was difficult to ignore. It was almost consuming me from the inside out.
"But what about the cartel itself, Gali? They're still looking for us. Even if El Lobo stops, they won't just forget about us."
Gali's thumbs traced circles on the back of my hands, a gesture of comfort."We'll deal with that if it happens. Right now, we need to focus on what Marcus is doing for us. It's the best chance we have of a normal life. Don't you want that?"
I looked up into his eyes, seeing the desperation there, the hope. And I felt a pang of guilt. I should be supporting him, believing in him. After all, he was trying to keep us safe, to give us a future.
"Yes,"I said finally, sighing."Of course, I do. I just... I just want us to be safe. I want you to be safe."
Gali smiled, squeezing my hands."We will be. I promise you. We'll be okay."
I looked down, a thought occurring to me."And what if Marcus can't convince El Lobo? Or what if he decides to double-cross you? What then?"
Gali's expression darkened."If Marcus betrays me, I'll deal with him. I won't let anyone threaten us again, Norri. I won't let anyone take us away from each other."
I believed him. I truly did. The conviction in his voice was impossible to ignore. And I realized that this was our only hope. We had to trust that Marcus would keep his promise. That he would protect us from the cartel and from El Lobo.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself."Okay. I'll trust you. I believe that Marcus will protect us."
Relief washed over Gali's face, and he leaned in to press a soft kiss on my forehead."Thank you, Norri,"he murmured."For trusting me, for giving me another chance."
Our faces inches apart, our breaths mingling, we held each other's gazes for a moment longer before the tension became too much to bear. My heart pounded in my chest as Gali slowly leaned in, giving me ample time to pull away if I wanted.
But I didn't want to.
As our lips met, it was like coming home after a long journey. His mouth was warm and soft against mine, moving with a familiarity that belied our time apart. A soft moan escaped me as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping against the seam of my lips, seeking entry.
I opened for him right away, our tongues tangling. The kiss was passionate, hungry, filled with all the pent-up longing and desire we had both been holding back for so long. It spoke of promises whispered in the darkest nights and dreams too beautiful to be real.
His hands cupped my face, tilting my head back as he plundered my mouth, his kisses filled with promises of forever and always. I clung to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders, my body pressing against his, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath his shirt.
With every swipe of his tongue against mine, every nip of his teeth on my lower lip, he whispered vows of love and protection, of a future together free from fear and danger. Each kiss mirrored his unwavering commitment to keeping us safe, to building a life with me.
Our hearts beat in sync, our bodies pressed together from chest to thigh, as we lost ourselves in the kiss. It wasn't just a kiss; it was a promise of a new beginning, of a love that would see us through anything life threw our way.
When we finally pulled away, our breaths ragged and chests heaving, we stared into each other's eyes, our souls laid bare by the intensity of our connection.
"I love you,"Gali whispered, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped without my knowledge.
"And I love you,"I replied, smiling."More than anything."