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Taking a breath, I step closer. The space between us crackles with electricity, memories of every kiss, every touch.

"I fell in love with you, Jenna. Even if I tried to fight it.

Even if I told myself it was just part of the plan.

" I look for a sign that she believes me, but I don’t think I see it.

"Everything else might have started as a lie, but loving you?

That's the most honest thing I've ever done. "

I ache to pull her into my arms, to show her that despite everything, my heart beats only for her.

"I know I hurt you," I whisper. "I know I broke your trust. But I swear, Jenna, I will spend every day making it right if you'll let me."

"How can you not hate me? After everything I did…" She lowers her gaze as if she can’t meet my eyes. "I gave them the key to destroy your family. You lost your parents… everything because of me."

My heart shatters at the raw pain in her voice. Before I can stop myself, I cross the final space between us and cup her face in my hands. "Listen to me. I could never hate you. Never."

She tries to pull away, but I hold firm, gentle but insistent. "I came here wanting to hate you, believing I already did. But the woman I fell in love with? She's incapable of the kind of malice I imagined."

I cradle her face. "You were a child, Jenna. A child who thought she was impressing her crush. The Keans are the ones who twisted that innocence into something dark."

"But—”

"No." I press my forehead to hers, breathing in her scent of flowers. "I've spent ten years carrying hate in my heart. For the Keans. For the person I thought betrayed us. But you? The real you? There's no room for hate anymore. Only love."

Her hands come up to grip my wrists, but she doesn't push me away. "How can you be sure?"

"Because hating you would mean hating the best part of myself. The part that learned kindness and love."

My thumbs brush away her tears as I gaze into those green eyes that first captured my heart in the kitchen.

"I want to be the man you deserve, Jenna.” My hand drifts to her stomach.

"This baby… our baby… it's a miracle. When I lost my parents, I thought I'd never have a family. With you, only with you… I have a chance.” Just in case Ash and Phoenix get any ideas about me and Hannah O’Donnell.

“I don’t know how you can look at me and not see the part I played.”

I look her in the eyes. “The moment I met you, you turned my world sideways because I kept having to tell myself you played a part. I always forgot because when I was with you, I was happy. I tried to deny it, but I couldn’t.

So no, I don’t see you as anything but another victim of the Keans.

” I suck in a breath because I feel like she might be mine again, except she hasn’t forgiven me.

“But I know you look at me and you see the monster I was in the cellar… and the killer. I suppose that will never go away. Unless… you can forgive me.”

She sniffs. “I’m scared.”

Fuck. How do I fix that?

“I love you so much… but you hurt me.”

I nod, knowing that what I did was unforgivable.

“I want to believe you now. I really do.”

I swallow. “Give me the chance to prove to you that my love is true. No games. No manipulation. Just me spending my life showing you I love you and our child.”

Her fingers move to my chest, and I’m worried she’s going to shove me back.

Desperation fills me. “Please. The man you fell for under the tree… that is me, Jenna. I tried to deny it, but I couldn’t. What we started was real.”

Her fingers grip my shirt. “It feels real.”

“It is, baby. So real. Let me prove it to you.”

She sags into me, her head against my chest not far from my wound. It hurts like a mother fucker, but I don’t care. She’s in my arms, and I’m never going to let her go.

"Get a room, you two." Ash’s irritated voice breaks through the moment.

"We're in a room," I growl. "You're the ones interrupting."

“Come on, Ash. Let’s get out of here and figure out our next steps with O’Donnell.”

“I’m not marrying his daughter,” Ash says, following Phoenix to the door.

“What’s that about?” Jenna asks once they’re gone.

“I believe Ash might be engaged. But I don’t want to talk about him.” I look down on this beautiful woman and feel like I have a second chance to do everything right. “I want to make you happy, Jenna. What do you need?”

“Blaise Ifrinn.”

Hearing my name, my real name, does something to me. It’s like I feel seen for the first time since we left the fire to hide from our enemies.

“He’s yours. He has been since the moment he laid eyes on you.”

Her lips crash into mine, desperate and hungry, and I’m filled with relief. My hands slide into her hair as she presses closer, molding her body to mine.

"I missed you," she whispers against my mouth. "Even when I was angry, even when I thought I hated you, I missed you."

Something breaks inside me at her words. I trail kisses down her neck. "I missed you too. You're everything," I murmur, walking her backward down the hall to her room.

She shivers at my touch, arching into me as we fall onto the mattress together. I feel like I might be dreaming.

I lie over her, looking into her beautiful face. “What changed your mind about me?”

“Your brother Ash?—”

“Oh, hell. God, what did he say? I’m sorry if he was an asshole.”

She smiles up at me, her fingers brushing my hair from my brow. “He helped me see beyond my own pain. Helped me understand.” Her expression turns pained. “You lost so much because of me?—”

“No. Not you.”

“I can understand why you have so much hate for them. Why you lied to seek the truth. I didn’t know any of it, so your actions didn’t make sense, but now I see it. I get it.”

Does she?

“When I rethought everything, I knew I was manipulated and lied to by them. You lied to me too, but you saved my mom. You risked your own job to help her. I know I’m sheltered and easily manipulated.”

God, does she think I’m manipulating her now?

“But I see everything clearly now and realize that while I don’t like what you tried to do, I totally understand why you did it.”

“Do you forgive me? I was so horrible to you.”

“Yes. I forgive you.”

“Thank fuck.” I kiss her then, wanting to show her and tell her everything I’m feeling. I worship her body with lips and hands, drawing soft sighs and desperate moans.

“Blaise… I want you.”

Her words wrap around my heart, start mending it together again. I sink into her, joining more than our bodies. The connection feels sacred, like I’m merging my soul with hers. For the first time in my life, I feel whole.

"I love you," I breathe against her throat. "Only you. Always you."

Her fingers dig into my shoulders, but I don’t feel the pain. She's like a soothing balm. I rock in and out of her, savoring her gasps, the feel of her pussy pulsing around my dick.

“Blaise!” She arches, coming apart beneath me. I want to hold on longer, but as her body squeezes mine, I’m lost. I fly over the edge with her.

“I’m never letting go,” I whisper against her cheek.

Her arms hold me tighter. “I’m nervous.”

I lift my head, worry filling me. “About what?”

“All I’ve known is that house. That garden. When we escaped last night, I felt like I lost everything.” Her green eyes look at me with emotion. “It’s how you felt, right? After the fire.”

I nod.

“I mean it’s not quite the same. I still have my mom. But I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

I want to tell her what is going to happen next. She and her mom will live with me. As soon as she fully trusts me, we’ll get married. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives together. But something inside me tells me she’s not looking for someone to tell her the next steps in her life.

“Do you know now?” Worried about crushing her and the baby, I roll to my side, but I keep her close.

She gives a soft laugh. “Not really, but I hope it’s with you?—”

“It’s absolutely with you. And your mom.

And this little person.” I rest my hand on her belly.

I’m concerned about telling her the next bit, but she needs to know.

“The issue with the Keans will escalate. My priority will be to keep you safe from that, so there could be some limitations to what you can do.” But already, I’m planning on buying her a fortress with a garden for her and her mother and a large playground for our child.

“As long as I have you and my mom, and the baby, I’ll have all I need.”

Relief fills my chest. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

She smiles, and it’s wide and radiant, filling me with warmth and love. “Because all I need is my family?”

“Because you have a generous and open heart and… you gave it to me when I don’t deserve it.”

Her hand presses on my cheek. “I love you.”

I close my eyes, savoring her words. Then I kiss her and vow to spend the rest of my days making up for the hurt I caused her, bringing her light and joy like she brought me, loving her with all my heart until my dying breath.