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There are so many conflicting emotions in her eyes. So much pain, so much anger. It makes me restless to see her like this.

Before I can say anything, Rosalie barrels into Emma’s knees.

“You. Were. Awesome ,” she shrieks. “Everyone was looking at you. Can you teach me how to spin like that?”

“Of course,” Emma replies. “We can practice when we’re back home.”

“I don’t want to wait until then,” Rosalie says. “Can you teach me right now ?”

James joins us. His cheeks are red from the cold, and he’s breathing heavily. His much shorter legs mean he’s always trying to catch up with his older sister, but he looks thrilled just to be here.

“Do you want to take a break, buddy?” I ask him.

“No, I want to skate forever,” he says, splaying his arms wide open and trying to do a spin like Emma. He almost makes it, but loses balance as he completes the spin, falling on his behind.

Instinctively, I reach toward him. His eyes widen as he stares at my outstretched hands. I hesitate when I feel everyone watching me. Blood pounds in my eardrums and my vision blurs.

James stands up quickly and gives me a big smile. He’s trying to make me feel better. He might be six years old, but he has more emotional intelligence than most adults I know.

I clear my throat. “Do you kids want something to eat?”

Rosalie shakes her head. “Can we skate for ten more minutes? It’s so much fun.”

James nods enthusiastically. “It’s the best.”

“Thank you for bringing us along on your trip, Uncle Klaus,” Rosalie says.

There’s adoration in her eyes that catches me off guard. I don’t remember the last time she looked at me like this. And when she’s smiling like this, I can’t help but be reminded of her mother.

“I wish we could skip school and do this every day,” James says. “I love it. It’s like the four of us are a family.”

Emma’s eyes meet mine and quickly look away.

“Uncle Klaus is your family,” she says. “And I’m here to take care of you. Now come on, let’s practice those spins.”

She takes their hands in hers.

I stare at the three of them. They’re my whole heart. Or what’s left of it, anyway.

“I have to make a call. I’ll join you guys in a few minutes,” I say.

Emma nods, but she doesn’t look at me. I glance at the bodyguards. They nod at me. They know the drill.

Chicago is relatively safe for us, but I’m not one to take chances.

I exit the rink and pull my phone out of my pocket. I call Alaric.

“I still don’t have any information about the stalker,” he says. “Stop calling me every?—”

“It’s not about that,” I say. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Oh?” he says.

One of the emails I sent last night was to Alaric. I gave him the details about Emma’s stalker and asked him to investigate it. He knows I’m in Chicago right now, and he’s the only person I trust for the job.

“I want to marry her,” I say.

“Holy,” he exhales. “Are you serious?”

“I know it deep in my bones. I never thought I’d say this about anyone, but she’s the woman for me.” She’s my salvation.

“Oh, my God,” he says. “You’re in love with her?”

I glance at the rink.

My eyes find her in the crowd like they’ve been searching for her for years. Everything else falls away.

“I think I’ve been in love from the second I first saw her,” I say. “I was just too stupid to realize it for what it was.”

Alaric squeals with joy.

“Can I be your best man?” he asks. “Please, please, please?”

“Sure,” I reply. “It’s not like I know anyone else.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” he says.

“It’s true,” I say. “Apart from Helena, you’re like the only other person I talk to. I don’t really have a choice in the matter.”

“You wound me deeply, my friend,” he says.

I roll my eyes at his antics.

“I need your help with something,” I say.

“Anything,” he says. “I take my role as best man very seriously.”

“There’s an heirloom ring in my bank’s safety deposit box. I need you to take it to the family jeweler to make some adjustments so it’s ready by the time I return.”

“I have access to your safety deposit box?” he asks.

“Yeah, you’re in the rental agreement.”

“See, I knew you loved me,” he says. “And consider it done.”

We’re both quiet for a moment. I honestly never thought that this day would come. I never thought that I would love someone like this.

“I can’t believe you’re going to propose,” Alaric says. “That’s huge.”

“I know,” I say.

It feels so right, but it’s also more than a little terrifying.

There are so many things going on right now. There are too many loose ends, and it only feels like my list of problems is getting longer by the second.

“Do you think I should wait?” I ask him. “There’s a lot going on right now.”

“When it comes to big life changes, it never feels like the right time,” he says. “As long as you know she’s the right person, you’re good.”

“She’s the only one,” I say.

I can’t even put into words the way she makes me feel. I tried to resist it for so long, but now that I’m letting myself feel it, it’s my only truth.

“There you go then,” Alaric says. “That’s your answer. When you know…you know.”

“I’m doing this.” A laugh escapes me. “I’m going to marry that girl. I’m going to make her my wife.”

“It’s a long time coming, man,” Alaric says. “It’s about time you had something in your life that made you truly happy.”

Happy.

It’s such a foreign emotion.

As I look at Emma and the kids playing on the ice rink, I see a saturated sunset even though it’s a cloudy day. I see brilliant colors even though the world is in shades of white and gray.

Something dark appears in my peripheral vision.

I don’t want to take my eyes off them, but my intuition tells me that there’s danger lurking in the background.

I glance at the opposite end of the ice rink.

There’s a man in a black overcoat and a red scarf. He’s staring at them, too.

A sharp knife. Malicious eyes. Broken glass.

I know that man.

“Alaric, I have to go.”