Page 156 of Royal Bargain

We both laugh.

“She’s got timing,” Liam says.

“She gets it from me.”

“Yeah,” he says, still smiling. “That tracks.”

And somehow, just like that, it doesn’t feel like we’re waiting for the next explosion. Just… here. In this moment.

Later, when Lily’s down for the night, I’m brushing my hair out in the bedroom.

Liam walks in and doesn’t say anything. Just wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his head on my shoulder.

“I still think I’m dreaming,” he says.

“You’re not,” I tell him. “You found me.”

He turns me around and kisses me. Not urgent. Not careful either. Just real.

And this time, I don’t pull away.

He lifts me like I weigh nothing and carries me to the bed, setting me down with care but never breaking the kiss.

And then we take our time.

There’s no rush. No fear. Just skin against skin, breath against breath, our bodies moving together like they were made to. He touches me like he’s memorizing every inch of me again, like he’s reminding himself I’m real, I’m safe, I’m his.

And I give myself to him fully, completely—heart open, walls down. No masks. No lies. Just love.

We move together slowly, reverently, like the world outside doesn’t exist. Like it never did. His forehead rests against mine as we reach the peak, and he whispers my name like a promise.

Ana.

And when it’s over, we don’t let go.

We lie tangled in the sheets, my head on his chest, his fingers drawing lazy circles on my back. Lily stirs in the next room, but doesn’t cry. As if even she knows—we’re okay. We’re here. Together.

The fire burns low, casting golden shadows on the walls. But I’m not afraid of the shadows anymore. For the first time in a long time, I let myself believe I might have a future. Something real.

The morning lightslips in through the curtains, soft and warm against my skin.

I wake to the sound of birds and the quiet brush of Liam’s fingers pushing my hair off my face. He’s already awake, looking at me like he’s been lost in thought.

“Morning,” I whisper.

He smiles—sleepy, a little crooked. “Hey, beautiful.”

We lie there for a while, tangled up together, letting the silence settle. No phones buzzing. No deals falling apart. No threats hanging over our heads. Just us. Just this.

Then Liam shifts beside me. I feel the tension in him before he speaks.

“I, uh…” He clears his throat, sitting up a little. “I didn’t know if I should do this now. Figured I’d wait till we were back in the city. But then I thought, you know what? Screw it. This is home. Wherever you are, that’s home.”

He reaches for something beside the bed and pulls out a small box.

Inside is a ring.

Simple, vintage. A gold band with a round diamond and two little sapphires hugging the sides.