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He slowly stood, stepping right into her space.

But Khalani didn’t budge.

She tilted her chin up, refusing to back away despite the coils of electricity wrapping around her spine.

Takeshi took another measured step forward, forcing her to inch back until her shoulders hit the wall. Barely an inch separated them as he towered over her.

“I’ve always been a good liar,” he whispered.

Her brows pinched together. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that no matter how many times I told myself we were done, I knew I’d never be over you. You’re the kind of special no one ever forgets.” His pitch-black eyes bore into Khalani, demanding that she listen.

“I’ve tried very hard to keep my distance, but my control slips by the minute. When you look straight at me, all I want to do is finish what we started that night in prison and make you completely mine. So let me make one thing clear. It doesn’t matter what happens between us. From now until the day I bleed out, I will always want you. I will always keep you safe. Even if you weren’t mine,” he gritted his teeth, “I would still protect you. Just know that if anyone gave you so much as a paper cut, I would end their existence.”

The weight of his truth hit her like a battering ram, destroying her barriers. Eviscerating all trains of thoughts and reason.

The only thing that remained was a relentless spark soaring through her limbs, making her feel like she needed to jump out of her skin.

“Takeshi…”

“I don’t expect anything back, Khalani. I just…I needed you to know the truth for once.” He didn’t fully meet her gaze, like he expected her to finally walk away after his proclamation.

Khalani had never stepped foot in an ocean.

Winnie told her about them a few times in Braderhelm Prison.

There used to be giant bodies of water on the surface, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Apparently, you could jump in and duck your head all the way under, and the waves would take over.

That’s what this moment felt like.

Powerful waves crashing against her, pulling her deeper and deeper into the unknown.

She held her breath and stared into his eyes. Trulylookedat him.

And what she saw was a man embedded with violent instincts and buried scars. Who fought for his beliefs. Who truly listened—not just thought about what he wanted to say next.

He pushed others to realize their strengths, and beneath the steel armor was a beating heart that bled with passion, fervor, and love.

But maybe that last word wasn’t correct.

Maybe that was the emotion screaming out ofherskin, growing in intensity ever since she opened the poetry book Douglas gave her in Apollo.

She thought love was the beginning of her story, but stories always have an ending. A point where you turn the final page and it takes your breath with it.

But love doesn’t have an ending.

Love endures.

It walks this earth with no face, concept of time, or reason.

It simply is. And simply will be.

That was the thought going through Khalani’s head when she closed the distance and kissed him.

At first, Takeshi didn’t kiss her back.