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He passionately asserted that marrying him was the only way to secure the Vitalis reputation.
Every word felt like a weight pressing into my ribcage.
My pulse pounded, but I froze. Fingers trembling, I fished my phone from the pocket of my dress and slid my thumb across the record button.
I’d recorded most of Dominic’s rant and was proud of myself for that.
But when he’d grabbed me so forcefully, my memory snapped open. All the trauma I’d gone through had come flooding back into the forefront of my mind, too many nights spent hiding, too many bruises I’d refused to name. Panic rose in my throat, bitter and familiar. My muscles coiled, ready to strike, but my voice went quiet.
If Leon hadn’t walked up when he did, Dominic would have been on the ground holding his balls and wailing in pain.
Leon’s arrival turned Dominic’s fury toward someone bigger and broader. I heard the edge in the asshole’s voice as he squared off against Leon, saw his shoulders inflate with wounded pride. He shouted over the scrape of theirshoes on stone, a raw challenge corralling the darkness around us.
I started at the trees swaying in the night breeze.
“I was ready to put him in his place,” I said, voice rough. “I shouldn’t have hesitated.”
Leon tipped his head toward me. “From what I heard, you’d already put him in his place.”
I whispered, “As soon as he touched me, I should have fought. I spent months training for moments like that, and I let fear override every lesson.”
I scanned the gravel at my feet, searching for the exact second I let my weakness overcome my extensive training.
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself, Cali,” Leon said. “You’ve gone through a lot. And most people wouldn’t have been able even to utter the words you did. Dominic is an asshole, but he’s intimidating, as well. From my perspective, you measured every risk, gathered proof, and stayed alive until help arrived. That took more strength than knocking him flat.”
I met his warm gaze, discovered something steady within it, and felt the tension in my shoulders diminish.
“You are a nice guy, aren’t you, Leon?”
He shrugged, shoulders rising in a reluctant arc. “I try. Some people disagree, but I’ll always be good to you, Cali. I promise.”
“Are you sure you want to marry someone as broken as me?” I whispered.
Leon leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his eyebrowslifted in that look I knew so well. “Is that what you believe about yourself?”
His question settled over me like a silent weight. I stared at my hands, knuckles white against the fabric of my dress.
“Sometimes,” I said.
He searched my eyes before speaking again. “I don’t believe in perfection, Cali. I’m far from perfect myself. But the way I see it, you and I have endured a lot of similar traumas.”
He lifted my hand, warmed it against his palm, then laced our fingers together.
My pulse throbbed. His hand felt solid and sure, a spark traveling through my veins.
His thumbs traced gentle paths across my knuckles. “If broken means we’ve felt life’s hardest edges, so be it. Maybe our fractures match. Maybe we can help each other heal.”
My heart swelled at his words.
Without hesitation, I cupped his face and pressed my lips against his, kissing him swiftly, confidently, and with intent.
He didn’t hesitate, kissing me back. His lips were warm and soft against mine, and all the emotions I’d been trying to hold back rushed to the surface, overwhelming me and leaving my head spinning and my heart racing.
“Cali,” he said. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered. You possess strength, intelligence, and kindness. To address your question, it would be the greatest honor of my life to become your husband. However, I want you to understand that I would never pressure you into anything you’re unprepared for or don’t wish to pursue.Simply express your desires, and I will do everything within my power to make them a reality. Everything is under your control, and we will proceed at your speed.”
My chest tightened at his words. When Leon spoke, my world contracted until only his voice was warm and steady, like an anchor in a storm. He was powerful and intelligent and sexy.
Most of all, he was kind. He had shown me nothing but complete respect. How could I not fall in love with a man like him?