Page 101 of Before Broken Vows

Xander falls asleep twenty minutes into the flight, curled up beside me on the leather sofa, his head resting against my thigh. He's wrapped in Theo's jacket, his little fists holding it tightly like it's a security blanket. I stroke his hair gently and try to breathe in some sense of safety.

We're in the sky.

We made it.

That's what I keep telling myself.

And yet, my chest won't unclench.

Marlena's gone, but he has us. And right now, that has to be enough.

Across from me, Theo sits in silence, still wearing the bloodstained shirt he was in when he carried our son from that hellhole. There's a bourbon in front of him, untouched. He hasn't said a word since we boarded. He hasn't had to.

I can only imagine what he did.

But I know now, more than ever, if there's anyone who would tear through the gates of hell to bring me or Xander home, it's him.

And I've never trusted him more.

Theo decided, since we were so close to the airport, we'd go straight there. He sent men back to the villa to collect our things and had his remaining crew sweep the waiting area for threats. They even checked the jet before we boarded.

I didn't care. I had Xander. And I knew Theo would take care of everything.

I always have been able to let go with him.

In a world that demands women be strong—always smiling, always managing, always polished—I'm expected to hold everything together.

But with him?

I can be undone.

Perfectly imperfect.

I can fall apart, and somehow, in the ruins, I feel safe.

Theo commands because I need to let go.

I provoke him because I want to be claimed. Because I crave someone who can silence the chaos in my head with a look, a word, a hand at my throat that says, I've got you.

It was never about weakness. It never will be.

With Theo, I choose to surrender.

Because no one else has ever made me feel safe enough to let go.

The rules, the commands, the edge of pain—they center me. He strips away the noise and allows me to feel alive.

Xander shifts in his sleep, murmuring something unintelligible. I rub his cheek, hoping he's dreaming about dinosaurs and not about the man who took him. I lean down and kiss his temple.

He doesn't stir.

It's crazy how he was the reason I left.

He's the reason I came back.

And now, he's the reason I'll never leave again.

I look at Theo.