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“That’s good, Zeke. Real good. What are your other reservations?”

I take a deep breath. “Her last marriage didn’t turn out so well.”

“Let’s talk about that.” Dr. Stone suggests, her pen hovering over her notepad. “She’s divorced?”

The leather creaks under my grip. “Yeah. Ex-husband was a piece of shit. Verbally abusive.” My jaw clenches. “Eventually hit her. That’s when she finally left.”

“That concerns you?”

“Of course it fucking concerns me.” The words come out harsher than intended. “She deserves better than that. Better than some asshole who made her feel worthless because she couldn’t—” I stop, remembering it’s not my place to share Eve’s private struggles.

Dr. Stone watches me carefully. “You seem very protective of her.”

“She’s been through enough.” I stand up, unable to sit still any longer. The morning sun catches the gray in my reflection as I pace past her window. “Her ex-husband, losing her sister, having to step up for Leo ...” I turn back to face Dr. Stone. “And now this marriage that will undoubtedly save her life.”

“You feel guilty about that?”

“I feel—” The words stick in my throat again. I force them out. “I feel like I’m adding to her trauma. Another man forcing her hand.” My fist connects with the wall before I can stop myself. Not hard enough to damage it, but enough to feel the sting. “Christ, I’d rather die than become another source of pain in her life.”

“What do you want to be for her, Zeke?”

I lean my forehead against the cool glass of the window, watching the city below. “I want to be the man she deserves. Someone who protects her without suffocating her. Someonewho,” my voice drops, “someone who helps her heal instead of adding to her scars.”

Dr. Stone’s office falls silent. I turn away from the glass, unable to face my own reflection anymore.

“Have you told Eve any of this?” Dr. Stone’s voice is gentle, probing.

“No.” The word comes out rough. “How the fuck do I even start that conversation? ‘Hey, sorry I ghosted you last year, but I actually care about you and want this marriage to work?’” I bark out a harsh laugh. “She’ll think I’m full of shit.”

“Why?”

I sink back into the leather chair, the familiar creak grounding me. “Because I am full of shit. One minute I’m walking away from her without a word, the next I’m forcing her into marriage to save her life.” My hands clench into fists. “And now I’m sitting here talking about wanting to help her heal? Christ.”

“You’ve grown since then, Zeke. People change.”

“Do they?” I meet her steady gaze. “Or do we just get better at lying to ourselves?”

“What makes you say that?”

The question hits a nerve. I lean forward, elbows on my knees. “This morning, watching her with Leo. For a moment, everything felt right. Like we could be a real family.” My throat tightens. “But that’s bullshit, isn’t it? She’s only there because she has to be. Because I fucked up and now she’s paying the price.”

“And yet, you said she seemed accepting of the situation when Leo mentioned the marriage.”

“Yeah.” I admit. “But acceptance isn’t the same as wanting it.”

Chapter 11

A Dangerous Vow

Evelyn

Istare at my reflection in the ornate mirror, but the woman gazing back feels like a stranger. My green eyes look too bright against my pale skin. My dark curls have been styled into an elegant partial updo with perfect ringlets hanging down my back. The white silk robe whispers against my skin as I shift uncomfortably.

“This isn’t real,” I mutter to my reflection. “This can’t be fucking real.”

But it is.

In less than an hour, I’ll be walking down the aisle to marry Ezekiel King—the man who hurt me when he vanished, the same man who now claims this marriage will save my life, a man who stands for everything I fight against.