Page 194

She breaks down completely in my arms, and it’s instantly clear we can’t stay at the party any longer.

I signal to the others that we’re leaving. They’re already watching us, almost certainly having seen the post by now.

It’s the first thing I’ve ever shared on any account. Aside from a simple profile picture, I’ve never posted anything before.

I barely even use social media.

And knowing we all have notifications turned on for each other, I’m certain they received the alert the moment it went live.

They nod in understanding, and I guide Thalia toward the door, ready to pull her away from the noise, from the crowd—and into our own quiet world.

SIXTY-FOUR

Thalia

“You posted a picture with me,” I say the moment Ethan closes the bedroom door behind us.

He brought me into the Hardy house and led me straight to his bedroom.

“Yes,” he answers calmly—firm, yet gentle—as he watches me with a warm smile.

I move toward the bed and sit on the edge, my body suddenly heavy, as though everything that just happened is catching up with me all at once.

“But…” I begin, only to trail off, my gaze drifting toward the windows as if the outside world might steady me. “Are you sure it’s okay?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my waist.

I need the gesture—to anchor myself, to reclaim even the smallest fragment of control.

“Thalia,” he says my name slowly, like a vow meant to bind rather than comfort. “I think you didn’t realize that from the very first ‘I love you’ I ever said to you, your destiny was already decided.”

His hand rises, cupping my face, guiding me—gently but with unmistakable intent—to meet his eyes.

“There’s no other path. There’s no expiration date. Your life is bound to mine forever.”

Each word disorients me and rebuilds me at the same time, layer by layer.

“It won’t be easy,” he continues, his voice firm, unshaken by doubt. “But I want the world to know that you’re my woman.”

He says it with such certainty, such finality, that I finally grasp the weight of what’s about to change in my life—the undeniable shift that comes with stepping fully into a future beside him.

His gaze tells me the decision is already made, that my life found its direction the moment Ethan opened the gates and let me step into his world—and that I was never meant to walk away from it.

And it’s a good thing I don’t have to decide, because right now—like every time I become the center of his attention—words fail me. They dissolve before I can shape them into anything coherent.

But even if I could speak, I would tell him the truth—that this is all I want. To be his. To have him woven into every part of my life until there’s no line left between where he ends and I begin.

“Words, kitten,” he murmurs, clearly amused by my silence, by the way I remain caught in whatever hold he has over me.

Overwhelmed, I let my head fall against his chest, unable to contain the rush of emotions flooding through me. His quiet laugh follows, pulling me closer, holding me there as if letting go isn’t even a possibility.

Outside, fireworks continue to fracture the sky, their echoes rolling through the night, the distant thunder the only thing disturbing the stillness settling over the room.

And yet, the calm inside me remains untouched and unshakable, because for the first time in my existence, I understand what it means to be claimed entirely.

“If someone had told me when I first met you—or even a few months ago—that we would end up like this, I would have sent them straight to a psychiatric hospital,” I confess against his chest, my voice carrying the silent, breathless happiness I feel.

I sense him chuckle, the movement unmistakable beneath my cheek, but he doesn’t respond.

Instead, he lowers his head and presses a kiss to my hair, lingering there, his lips resting against it as though time itself has slowed just for us.