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“No catch.” He raises his hands. “It’s yours, Laila. It’s in your name, and you are in total control of it as of this morning when I signed everything over.”
“But you said I couldn’t move out.” Now feels like a bad time to point this out. Maybe Arsen forgot about when he refused to let me get my own place, and now that I’ve reminded him, he’ll snatch the keys and my new favorite place to do yoga away.
But he just shrugs. “I realized you were right.”
If possible, my jaw drops even lower. “I want that phrase embossed under my name on the front gates. This is a momentous occasion.”
He rolls his eyes and kisses the top of Nina’s head. “You’re having a hard time seeing I’m capable of change. I figured the best way to prove it to you was to change. Now, if you ever want to leave, you have a safe place to go.”
Leave. Leave Arsen. Leave his house.
A dull ache forms in the center of my chest at the thought. Before it can spread, Arsen adds, “I’m not inviting you to move out. I don’t want you to leave. Actually—” He runs a hand over the back of his neck. “I’d fucking hate it if you left. But I want you to know that… that you can. If you need to.”
“So it’s an escape route?”
He grimaces. “Can we not make our marriage sound like a hostage situation? How about we call this a gesture of good faith? I’m giving you this house because I plan to keep my word and make sure you never have a reason to need to escape.”
“I… I don’t know what to say.” My eyes burn, but I swallow down the emotion and make a slow turn, taking in the place. “I can’t believe anyone would ever sell this place.”
“Believe me, they didn’t want to.”
I whirl around, eyes narrowed. “You didn’t kill the previous owners, did you?”
If the catch is that I’ll have to be haunted by the aggrieved previous owners…well, it would be a steep price to pay. But I’d pay it.
God, what is wrong with me?
“I gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse.”
“Now, I’m even more positive you did.” Sighing, I take in the rolling hills of the backyard, the chimney stacks rising from the peaked roofline. “This place is perfect. It’s like you plucked it out of my dreams. How did you know?”
“I had some help.”
The curve of his lips has me smacking my forehead as I realize the source. “My mom helped you? How?”
“I already told you: our main topic of conversation was you. She told me everything.”
I dab at the tears pooling in the corners of my eyes. “She always was rooting for you.”
“It’s one of the many reasons I miss her,” he agrees. “My team is a little sparser these days.”
My hands twitch towards him. I’m not sure if I want to throw my arms around him or kiss him or strangle him or little bits of all three. Problem is, I’m not sure I’ll be able to rein myself in if I cross that line.
“Thank you,” I murmur instead, unable to say more because of the giant lump in my throat.
“Do you want to stay a little longer?” he asks. “Or do you want to go home?”
I study his face, searching for signs of a test. Some sort of ultimatum that will determine the rest of our lives. But he gives nothing away.
I think about what I want. What Ireallywant. I genuinely believe that if I asked to spend the night here, Arsen would allow it.
Maybe that’s why I take a step towards him, seeking out his warmth. “Let’s go home.”
He smiles, those bright green eyes softening under the fading light. And when he takes my hand… I let him.
30
ARSEN
