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He stared at the closed door in front of him, knowing Rhiannon was waiting inside. She’d wait for him forever if he needed her to, patient and understanding in ways he didn’t deserve.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and knocked softly on the door.
“Come in,” she called, her voice muffled through the wood.
He turned the handle and stepped into the room. Rhiannon was curled up in an armchair by the window, a book open on her lap. She looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly as she took in his appearance. He knew he must look a mess—disheveled and guilty, like a man who had almost made the second biggest mistake of his life.
She closed the book, set it aside, and stood up. “Pierce? What’s wrong?”
He raised his hands, but how could he explain? How could he tell her that he’d almost left her, almost walked away from the best thing in his life because he was too scared to believe he deserved it?
Rhiannon took a step toward him. “Talk to me. Please.”
He swallowed hard and forced his hands to move.“Rhiannon. I... I’m sorry.”
She walked toward him. Not all the way, leaving a few feet between them. Her eyes locked onto his, and what he saw there took his breath away. There was no anger, no resentment, just a quiet understanding. Her gaze was soft, filled with the same compassion that had drawn him to her from the beginning. And there was love—undeniable and raw, shining in her eyes even now.
“Don’t,” she said gently, shaking her head. “You don’t have to apologize.”
He swallowed, stepping closer.“But I do. I almost killed us.”
“No, you saved us. They weren’t going to let us leave there alive. You know that.”
“But I should have?—”
“You made the only choice you could in that moment. If you’d done what Drake wanted, millions would have died.”
Pierce took another step forward, closing the distance between them until he was standing right in front of her. The urge to reach out and touch her was overwhelming, but he held himself back, not sure if he had the right anymore.
“I almost left,”he confessed.“Just now. I had my bag packed.”
Her expression didn’t change, but he saw a flicker of pain in her eyes. “Why?”
“Because I thought... I thought it was the only way to keep you safe. To protect you from my past, from the people who are still out there.”
She exhaled a soft breath. “Oh, Pierce. You’re always trying to protect everyone, even if it means hurting yourself in the process.”
Emotion burned at the back of his throat. She understood him in a way no one else ever had. And yet, she still stood by him. She still loved him.
He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with himself.“I’m a coward. I was running away when we met, and I was fully prepared to go again today.”
“But you didn’t.” Her voice was soft, gentle. “You’re not a coward. You’re still here.”
“Because of Zak, Donovan, and Sawyer. And your brother.”A wry smile tugged at his lips.“They talked some sense into me.”
Rhiannon reached up to gently cup his face, her touch warm and soothing. “You’ve been trying to protect me since the moment we met. But don’t you get it, Pierce? I don’t need you to run away to keep me safe. I need you to stay.”
He leaned into her touch, his eyes drifting closed for a moment as he savored the feel of her skin against his. When he opened them again, he saw nothing but tenderness and understanding in her gaze.
“I love you, Pierce,” she whispered. “And no matter how hard you try to push me away, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not afraid of your past. I’m not afraid of the future and any danger it might bring. I just want you. All of you.”
Her words cracked something wide open inside him, leaving him breathless. He had spent so long believing he wasn’t capable of this, of love, of being loved in return. But Rhiannon’s love was undeniable, unshakable, and it broke through every wall he had ever built around his heart.
His hands came up to cover hers, and he turned his face into her palm, pressing a kiss against her skin.
“I love you,” he whispered brokenly, the words both painful and cathartic. Then he signed,“I’m not running anymore. Not from you. Not from this. I’m here as long as you want.”
She blinked, tears spilling over her lashes, but her smile was radiant, lighting up the entire room. “Good,” she said quietly, reaching up to brush a tear from his cheek. “Because I want forever and a day.”
