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“I keep thinking,” my voice is hoarse as I speak. “What if I didn’t get out?”

Logan stills beneath me.

“I mean, what if you hadn’t found me in time? Been so persistent? Would the cops have even done anything?”

“Stop, baby,” Logan cuts in. “I don’t want to do ‘what ifs’ because I found you and you’re here. You’re safe now, and that’s the only thing that matters.”

I blink rapidly, trying to shove down the emotions threatening to choke me whole. I let out a shuddering breath, sagging into him completely, letting him take my weight, take the fear, take everything because I know he will. I know he’ll carry it for me if I let him.

So I do. Everything pours out of me, and I cry into his neck, “You could have died.”

“But I didn’t, and now we’re both okay. We’re both right here, and I’ll never go anywhere without you again, baby. I promise. I’ll quit my job if they tell me to come in again. Nothing is as important as you.”

Logan moves, pulling me into his lap, looking down into his beautiful blue eyes. His hands splay wide against my back, holding me together as I bury my face into his shoulder, breathing him in as tears start to streak down my cheek.

“I’m right here,” he murmurs, pressing his lips against the side of my head. “You’re safe. You’re home. He’s never getting near you again, Ry. Not ever.”

A few moments stretch between us before I pull back just enough to look at him.

The last few days have been overwhelming, but now thatwe’re finally home, I can say what’s been stuck in my head. There was one loud thought that plagued my mind when we were apart—the thing I knew I couldn’t leave unsaid if I ever got the chance.

“I love you, Logan,” I proclaim, voice thick with emotion, as I pull back to look him in the eyes. “I’m soin lovewith you. You have always been my person, and now you’re my everything. I love you so much.”

I swear I see his breath hitch at my admission before a slow smile creeps across his face. He leans in, resting his forehead against mine.

“I love you, too, Ry,” he says with so much awe in his voice. “You’re it for me. Always have been, always will be. I’d do anything for you, baby. Anything. I love you so much.”

I don’t even hesitate. I pull him into me, kissing him like I’ll never get enough because I won’t.

He cups my face when we pull back. “I loved being your friend and was happy to be around you. Being near you always felt right. But then a few weeks ago, something flipped, and I couldn’t stop falling for you even if I tried.”

I smile, my heart so full it hurts.

“Honestly, I thought I was losing my mind after the whole…shower incident,” I admit with a sheepish laugh. “I couldn’t even tell you why I walked in, or why I stayed so long. I’m pretty sure I spun out for a full twenty-four hours trying to figure out what the hell that meant for us. I just knew I really liked what I saw, and I thought about joining you in there.”

“That makes two of us,” he laughs. “I’ve always loved you,” he whispers. “But it’s different now. I want you. I need you. I choose you. You’re it for me.”

My chest tightens at the weight of those words. They’re sosimple, but they hold so much weight. I want to bottle up this moment and savor it for a lifetime. His fingers slide into my hair, his lips brushing over mine so gently it barely counts as a kiss, but it feels like everything. I didn’t think I could love him more than I already do, but somehow, he keeps proving me wrong.

“Me too,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “You’re my world.”

And when he kisses me again—deeper this time—I know we’re safe.

We’re home.

And this time, nothing’s tearing us apart.

32

LOGAN

Iwake up to the warmth of Ryder cocooned around me. His steady breaths ghost over my chest, and his hand rests around my arm. I breathe him in and let the reality of this moment settle—that he’s here in my arms again.

Thinking back, I should’ve killed Kyle. That piece of shit doesn’t deserve to still be breathing, but I’m sleeping much better knowing he’s behind bars and I hope prison is worse than death. We haven’t heard anything about his sentence yet, but I do know he survived the gunshot wound, which I have very mixed feelings about. I don’t care if that makes me a bad person.

I still meant every word I said about never letting Ryder out of my sight again, though. Wherever he goes, I go, and vice versa. If I have to quit my job, I’ll quit. It’s not like it’s my dream job, and even if it were,heis my dream. My life with him by my side until we’re old and gray is my real dream.

My arms tighten around him, and I pull him even closer. I don’t want even an inch of space between us, and despitetrying not to wake him, I feel his body stretch out against me, and a smile instantly takes over my face.