Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Blake
Cassie is a mess in my arms—sobbing, hiccupping, her nose pressed against my chest, tears soaking through my shirt. But I don’t care. I’ve never held anything so precious.
“Shhh, baby,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her hair. “I’m right here. I’m okay.”
She shakes her head, her voice muffled and broken. “You almost died, Blake. You almost—”
“I didn’t,” I cut in gently but firmly, pulling her tighter against me. “I’m here. Breathing. Holding you. And I swear to God, Cassie, I’m not going anywhere.”
Her shoulders quake, and something inside me snaps wide open. I can’t wait another second. She has to know.
I cup her face in my good hand, tilting her chin until her wet green eyes meet mine.
“Listen to me. The second I saw you—before I even knew your name—I knew you were mine. And every day since then? Every word, every laugh, every kiss—it’s sunk deeper.
You’re under my skin, baby. In my blood. In my bones.”
Her lip trembles, tears sliding fresh down her cheeks.
“I took a bullet last week, and lying on that street, the only thing I saw was your face. The only thing I thought was, God, don’t let me leave her.
” My throat burns, but I push through. “Life is short, Cassie. Too damn short. I don’t want to waste one minute of it without you.
I want you. All of you. Every day. Every night.
I want to fall asleep holding you, and I want you to be the first thing I see in the morning. ”
“Blake…”
“I know my job’s dangerous,” I press on, because she needs to hear this. “Being a cop, it’s who I am. But if you told me right now to walk away, I would. I’d hang up the badge tomorrow because you matter more. You are my life now.”
She shakes her head quickly, gripping my shirt.
“No, Blake. I would never ask you to give that up. It’s who you are—it’s what you were born to do.
” She sniffles. “Rene told me…you could be a cop, or a brick mason, or an electrician, and life could still take you from me. And honestly, I hadn’t thought of it that way. ”
Her eyes blaze through her tears, and my heart damn near breaks with the force of it.
“I love you, Blake,” she whispers fiercely. “I love you so much it terrifies me, and I can’t deny it any longer.”
A sharp breath leaves my chest, and then I’m kissing her, deep and passionate.
When I finally pull back, I rest my forehead against hers. “I love you, too, Cassie. From the second I saw you, I’ve loved you. You’re it for me. My one. My always.”
“Even with swollen eyes, a stuffy nose, and blotches all over my face?” she laughs.
“Especially then,” I grin, brushing my thumb under her eye. “You’re mine in every way. And nothing—nothing—is ever going to change that.”
She exhales deeply and trembles before her lips curve into the most radiant smile I’ve ever seen. “Then I guess you’re stuck with me.”
“Forever,” I vow, kissing her again, gentler this time. “Forever, my sweet Cassie.”
She rests her head against my chest, curling around me, soft and sweet.
And I take the first full breath I’ve taken in a week.
With her, I’m whole.
I’m complete.
I’m home.