Chapter 44 Ella #2
Asher reaches over and turns on the bedside lamp, then reaches into the drawer of his nightstand and pulls something out of it. A deep blue jewelry box shines under the soft lighting. He scoots next to me and places the box on my lap before opening it. My breath catches.
The Langford pendant sits inside.
“I know I fucked up,” Asher says, his voice catching.
“And you were right. It was wrong to drug you and force you away, but I honestly didn’t know what else to do.
Every day you were in danger, and we couldn’t track down Yegor.
Letting you stay was too much of a risk, and your life is not a risk I will ever gamble with. ”
“You should have talked to me.”
He lets out a long sigh. “I know. And I’m sorry. I panicked. Plain and simple. I just fucking panicked. I guess I’m hoping you can understand why, and that you can try to forgive me for it.”
“I’m still mad that you went behind my back .
. . but I know why you felt you had to. It took me a while to realize that sometimes I can be just as stubborn as you.
” It stings my pride and my sense of self to admit that, but Flores’s words ring through me, and I know I need to be honest with myself.
I would have fought Asher tooth and nail if he’d suggested I leave.
And maybe leaving wasn’t the answer, but maybe it was.
Who’s to know? It’s not like there’s a manual that we could have consulted to know the best way to deal with a situation like this.
I hate that Asher did what he did, but I can certainly understand that he panicked and did what he thought was best.
“This has all been a bit of uncharted waters, so if you promise to never do that to me again, I promise to really listen when you are worried about safety and to cooperate with what needs to be done.”
Asher laces his fingers through mine and rubs his thumb along the back of my hand.
“I promise. I learned my lesson. I won’t let my past, or my fear, rule me anymore.
My life will always come with risk and danger, and I’ll always be possessive and arrogant and crazy about security, I can’t help that, but I promise I won’t let it overtake me again.
And I promise to communicate with you and consult you on things.
I won’t keep you in the dark and make decisions on your behalf. ”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“You’re my home, Ella—my everything. I will do anything, promise you anything, if you’ll give me another chance.
I can’t imagine my life without you. I’ve lived that life for six weeks, and I can’t do it for another second.
” He lets out a long breath and his blue eyes shimmer with unshed emotion as he levels me with a look of raw want and need that takes my breath away.
“I never expected to love anyone, and I definitely never expected to love someone the way I love you. You changed my life. You changed me. And you own me—completely.” He lifts the pendant from the box. “Can you accept this again?”
I run my fingertips over it.
“This seems to be a pattern with us, doesn’t it?” I can’t help but tease. “You fucking up and then apologizing and presenting me with jewelry.”
Asher lets out a half laugh, then clears his throat. “It does. Luckily for me, I have a vast amount of jewelry at my disposal, so I have lots of wiggle room for future apologies.”
I shake my head. “You’re shameless.”
“Always.”
He nudges the box, eyeing me expectantly. “So, will you?”
“I’m not sure.”
Asher startles, blinking at me in surprise.
“But maybe if it was an official dare, I could.”
Asher’s eyes flash with relief and then narrow. He pinches my side and leans in to nip at my earlobe, his favorite little form of correction.
“Ella Hale, I solemnly dare you to accept this Langford pendant, and to be mine in every way possible. For forever.”
I smile at him, and it takes me no time to decide. “Yes.”
Asher crashes his lips to mine.
A moment later he pulls away, and I almost whimper at the loss.
He smirks as he clasps the necklace around my neck.
The pendant settles on my chest, and Asher runs his hand along the chain and stops his fingers on the pendant, admiring it almost as if he’s in awe at seeing it back on me.
His eyes meet mine, and just like that, everything settles back into place, as it should be.
As if the last six weeks hadn’t happened.
As if there’s nothing that can keep our future from us.
Asher takes my face in his hands and kisses me again.
Slowly, reverently at first, but within seconds, the kiss evolves.
The weight of all we’ve been through these last few weeks lifts, and that consuming need blooms between us.
The kiss turns frantic, and soon his hands are in my hair, on my back, skimming all over me, as if he can’t touch me enough.
Our hands clash and tangle with each other as clothes go flying between our gasps and panting breaths.
Asher kisses down my neck and chest and takes my breast in his mouth with a groan.
A second later he slides inside me with one thrust, and now it’s my turn to groan.
We both still for a moment, reveling at the feel of it. At the rightness of him inside me.
I run my hand along his jaw, and he keeps his eyes locked on mine as he trails his fingertips over the pendant around my throat again. “You’re mine,” he whispers as he starts to move. “Forever.”
“I’m yours. And you’re mine.”
“Always.”
As we move together, all our hurt and fear crumble away.
And once again, there is nothing that exists beyond him and me and our love.
He rests his forehead on mine, and my fingertips cling to his back as he threads his fingers through my hair.
This is more than just making love. This is an apology.
This is an admission. This is a vow of life to come—a promise of our future as one.
“Mine,” he whispers again.
I look into those beautiful blue eyes that once intimidated me. And then everything changed. Now all I see is home.
“Yours.”