“I’ve been a coward,” he admits quietly, his voice raw. “Pushing you away, pretending I could keep you safe by keeping you at a distance. But I can’t anymore. I won’t.” My throat tightens at the vulnerability in his tone, and I press a hand to his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm. “Okay.” His arms tighten around me, his breath warm against my temple. “I mean it, Isabelle. You’re mine. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that you’re safe with me.” The words sink into me, filling spaces I didn’t know were hollow. Dominic isn’t just holding me—he’s
...more
