Chapter 47
Evelyn
The Moment The Last Wall Fell
Alexander is the love of my life. I’m done resisting it. His forehead pressed to mine. His hands steady—warm, grounding. But his eyes…His eyes held terror.
Not of me. Not babies. But of losing all of it. Of losing us. And that was the moment my final wall cracked and crumbled. “I guess…” My voice was barely a whisper, hoarse from crying. “I can’t ask you to keep us a secret anymore, can I?”
A soft curve touched his lips—not amusement. Relief. A deep, aching relief that made my breath tremble. “You could try,” he murmured, fingers tracing my jaw, “but I’m not letting anyone pretend you’re not mine anymore.”
Something uncoiled in my chest—slow and devastating. For once, fear wasn’t the thing holding me together. It was him. Then his body moved before my brain registered it.
One arm slid beneath my knees. The other cupped my back. And suddenly, I was lifted off the ground, weightless in his arms.
“Alexander—” I gasped, fingers clawing at his shirt.
“No more running,” he said. Steel wrapped in silk.
“No more hiding. No more pretending you’re just some employee.
No more acting like this isn’t real.” He carried me to the couch and sat, curling me against him like I was the one thing keeping him alive.
His lips brushed my temple. “I’m telling the entire fucking world,” he whispered.
“About you. About us. About our babies. I want every man in this city to know you’re mine.
That they’ll never touch you, look at you, breathe near you without knowing I’d burn everything down for you. ”
My chest cracked open. I cupped his face. Pulled him down. And kissed him—not soft, not shy. I kissed him like I’d finally stopped drowning. “I love you,” I breathed into his mouth. “I love you so goddamn much. And I’m terrified, Alexander. Of losing you. Of failing. Of not being enough for them.”
His arms locked around me like iron. “You’re more than enough. You’re everything.”
I let myself believe it.