Page 103 of Bound By Crimson

It was like they were planting something in the center of the world—binding themselves to this place, to each other.

Becoming more than they had been before.

Afterward, they lay tangled together on the grass, her head resting against his chest, the sky above them pale blue and endless.

Kai’s hand moved to her belly, warm and steady.

“Can you picture it?” he murmured.

“Our child playing out here. Laughing. Running wild. Us chasing after them. No schedules. No stress. Just time together. Just us.”

Lyric’s chest tightened, tears stinging her eyes for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.

He turned to her, brushing her hair back from her face.

“Soon we’ll be married,” he said softly. “And we won’t have anything to worry about at all.”

She nodded, unable to speak.

Because this was everything she wanted.

A family.

A future.

Him.

And in that moment—surrounded by green walls and sunlight—she believed him.

Chapter Thirty-One

The Chill Beneath

Lyric spent the late afternoon unpacking, trying to make the guest room feel like hers.

She draped one of her soft throws over the faded armchair, placed a framed photo of her and Kai on the windowsill, and laid out a sketchbook on the antique desk in the corner. But despite her efforts, the room still felt foreign. The wallpaper was peeling slightly in one corner. The light flickered once when she turned on the lamp. It was all clean, all proper—but there was something about the silence that made her skin hum.

When the sun dipped low and the house settled into hush, she padded barefoot down the hallway, wrapped in a silk robe. She didn’t need to knock—he was always waiting.

Kai opened the door with that familiar smile, shirt slightly unbuttoned, hair tousled like he hadn’t bothered trying to tame it.

“You’re becoming quite the rebel,” he teased, stepping aside to let her in.

She smirked. “You said your mom stays on the other side of the house.”

“She does,” he said, locking the door behind her. “And honestly, this kind of adds some excitement to our relationship.”

She laughed as he pulled her in, guiding her to the bed. But the laughter softened quickly into something quieter—comfort.His arms wrapped around her, and they lay down together without urgency.

He didn’t try to initiate anything. He just held her. One hand resting gently on the small curve of her belly, his thumb tracing soft circles as if memorizing the shape of their future.

“I’m so happy,” he murmured. “I’m so glad we did this—everything.”

She turned her face into his chest, smiling. “Me too.”

“I feel like I can finally breathe again,” he whispered. “Like I can finally just focus on what matters—me and you. And this baby.”

She pressed closer to him, soaking in every word.