Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-Seven
Theo
The video blurs for a second as I pause it again, my fingers gripping the edge of the desk. Wren’s face is frozen on the screen, her cheeks flushed, lips parted in a soft gasp, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to slam the laptop shut.
I’ve been at this for hours, scrubbing through the footage, tweaking the lighting, making sure every frame is perfect and every inch of her face is blurred, but it’s not the technical stuff that’s tripping me—it’s everything else.
Her.
Us.
The way she looks at me, like I’m the only thing that matters in her world, sends a jolt straight through me. I rewind a few seconds and watch again as she arches beneath me, her hands clutching at my back, her voice whispering my name.
My throat tightens.
I replayed the moment we stared into each other’s eyes and confessed our love at least twenty times.
She’s so open, so vulnerable, so completely herself , and all I can think is, I don’t deserve this.
I sit back, rubbing my hands over my face, trying to clear my head. But the memories come rushing in—the way she kissed me before we fell asleep. How she rested her head on my chest, her smile soft and content.
And now, here I am, trying to turn this into something we can use against Amanda. Wren gave me everything at night—her trust, her love, her body —and here I am, picking apart every frame, every moment.
I press play again, and the audio turns on. My voice, low and hoarse, whispering her name as my hands slide over her bare skin. Her laugh, soft and breathy, fills the room, and for a second, it’s like I’m back there with her.
But the doubt creeps in.
I pause the video on myself this time, my face close to hers, my expression raw. I look at the screen and see every flaw, every imperfection. My hair’s a mess, my jaw too tight, my eyes too desperate.
She could have anyone—someone smarter, someone stronger, someone who hasn’t spent years letting his past weigh him down. But instead, she’s here. With me. And it scares the shit out of me because I know how easily I could lose her.
How easily I almost lost her.
Amanda tried to take her from me, and I almost let her. If not for Wren.
Shit, if Wren ever realizes I’m not enough for her—if she ever wakes up and sees what I see when I look at myself—I don’t know if I’ll survive it.
I glance back at the screen, at Wren’s face. She’s smiling in this frame, her eyes locked on mine, her hands cupping my jaw like I’m the most important thing in the world.
And maybe that’s what breaks me.
Because for all my doubts, for all the ways I think I’ll never measure up, she doesn’t seem to care. In this video, in that moment, she’s with me. Not just physically, but completely.
I exhale, forcing myself to keep watching.
If Wren trusts me enough to let me see her like this—to let me love her like this—then maybe it’s time I stop doubting what we have. Maybe it’s time I own up and face the truth.
I love her, and she loves me.
I open my bedroom door, and she’s right there, curled up on the couch, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside my head.
She’s wearing one of her oversized sweaters, her legs tucked under her as she reads a book.
My nerves are shot. All I can do is stand here, using the doorframe to support myself. She’s here, and she’s mine.
You almost lost her.
“Theo?” Wren’s voice cuts through the taunting voice of my inner critic. “Are you okay?”
The need to be close to her is overwhelming. So I push off the doorframe and close the distance between us in a few slow steps. “The video is ready.”
“With three hours to spare. Great job.” She smiles at me, but all it does is twist a knife in my gut.
“You can still back out,” I offer. “I won’t blame you.”
“Why in the world would I do that?” Wren leans forward, and I shove my hands in my pockets.
“Because you don’t deserve this.” My eyes fall to my feet, avoiding her soft gaze.
You don’t deserve her.
“This last month with you has been a dream. I’ve never been so happy. It would be selfish of me to cling onto you?—”
“Theo—” Wren cuts in, but I don’t stop.
“I love the ever-living shit out of you, but I can’t drag you down with me?—”
“Theo!” She shouts, and it’s enough to cleave my sentence and earn my attention.
“Come here.” Her voice is firm, leaving no room for argument. She beckons me over, and I’m far too quick to obey.
“Listen to me because I’m only going to say this once.”
I nod, my throat tightening.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she says, her tone steady. “Am I happy about the situation? No. Will I do anything for you because I love you? Yes.”
I drop my gaze to my lap, but before I can retreat too far into my thoughts, she tilts my chin up with her thumb, forcing me to meet her eyes.
“You can’t get rid of me, Theo. So stop thinking you’re not enough because you are. You’re my everything, and you deserve all the good this world has to give.”
“Wren,” I sigh.
“Theo,” she fires back, her tone sharp but laced with warmth.
And, damn, the way she says my name has me cracking a smile.
“Move over.”
I shift, leaning back into the couch as she climbs onto my lap, her body fitting against mine like it’s where she belongs. Her scent wraps around me, easing the tension in my shoulders, but the way she leans forward, pressing her weight onto me, sends a bolt of heat through my core. When her hips shift, grinding against me just enough to draw a reaction, I stifle a groan.
Did she do that on purpose?
“I need to know one thing.” She holds up a finger, her expression serious.
No, I don’t think she did.
“Did you change the password to your cloud?”
I huff a laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. “Yes, I changed my password.”
“Is it IloveWren123?” She teases me.
“Damn.” I smirk, trying to keep a straight face. “Guess I need to change it again.”
“You’re so predictable.” She smacks my arm and grins ear to ear.
“What can I say?” I shrug. “It’s the truth.”
Her expression softens, and she plays with one of my curls. “I really love you,” she murmurs. “More than you’ll ever know.”
Without a second thought, I snake my arms around her and pull her against my chest. Her hair tickles my skin as she nuzzles into the crook of my neck, and everything seems to fall into place.
Until the nagging voice in my head wakes up and twists my stomach into a knot.
She deserves better.
I hold onto her tighter.
She’d be a fool to stay with someone like you.
Her breath is warm against my skin. She’s here. Don’t listen to it.
You’re a walking tsunami.
“I love you,” I say over the voice in my head. “I hope you know that.”
“I do.” Wren kisses my cheek, and I lean into her touch. “We are stronger than this. Everything will be okay.” She places a soft kiss on my lips. “Trust us.” Another kiss. “Trust me.”
“I love you,” I repeat, clutching onto her shirt. “I love you.”
“We’ll be okay.” Her voice cuts through my thoughts. “We always are.”
“I love you,” I whisper in her ear.
“And I love you.”