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Dom comes around to my side of the car, wordlessly lifting me again before he makes his way to the front door. Inside, I stand in the middle of my living room, suddenly unsure what to do with myself. I'm still in my gown, the fabric now dirty and torn in places. My eyes well up again as I try to untangle the shredded ties.
“Here, let me help you with that,” Dom murmurs softly, moving behind me to start unlacing the ribbons that now feel like a cage. His touch is achingly gentle, as if he’s worried I might shatter into a million pieces right here on the rug. “You should probably take a shower, get cleaned up. It might help you feel better.”
I nod numbly, but as he finishes with the laces and steps away, panic seizes me all over again. I spin around, grabbing his wrist. “Will you…” I swallow hard, hating how small and scared my voice sounds. “Will you stay? Will you still be here when I get out?”
Dom's hard shoulders drop just a fraction, his relief palpable as he reaches up to cup my cheeks. “Of course,” he says without hesitation. “I'll stay as long as you want me here, Shy.”
I can’t think of what to say next, so I just collapse forward and thread my arms around his waist, holding on for dear life.Dom cradles my head against his chest, his heart beating an erratic rhythm against my ear. For a long moment, we just stand in silence, his other hand rubbing soothing circles over my grazed back.
Eventually, Dom speaks, his lips brushing against my forehead. “I love you, Shiloh. I'll do anything to earn back your trust.Anything.”
The whirlwind of emotions that sweeps through me would have me crumbling to my knees were it not for his strong arms holding me up. There’s a mixture of hope, doubt, longing, and fear, but beneath it all, there's a certainty I can't ignore. “I love you too,” I admit. “Lord knows I’m questioning my own sanity, but I do. I love you… And I want you to stay.”
Dom presses a tender kiss into my hair but doesn’t speak again. It takes me a minute or two to realize that he never heard any of those words I spoke into the trees when I thought he was behind me.
“I want to trust you again,” I mumble into his shirt. “But you can't lie to me again, Dom. And you can't leave me alone like you did the first time. I can't go through that again. You were gone for eleven years too fucking long.”
“"I'm not going anywhere,” he vows, his deep voice rumbling through me and somehow thawing my aching muscles. “No matter where we end up, I'll be by your side.”
I squeeze him tighter, feeling truly safe for the first time all night. Maybe for the first time in a long time. Before the exhaustion sets in deep enough that I won’t make it to the shower, I find myself exhaling a shuddering sigh. “Maybe it’s just me…but Avalon might not be the right place for either of us anymore.”
Dom's answering huff is equal parts bitter and grudgingly amused. “Maybe not. We can figure out a fresh start anywhere you want to go.”
We stay like that a little longer, holding each other close as the weight of the last month’s events and our naked confessions settles around us. Hardly anything feels resolved, and yet somehow, I can’t find it in me to worry about the rest of it.
Dom wants to stay with me. And maybe despite myself, I trust that he means it. Right now, there’s nothing else I need. There’s nothing else I’ve ever needed more than someone who just fucking stays. I drag him up the stairs with me, not wanting even a second apart.
It might seem like everything has changed in that regard…
But nothing really has.
Nothing ever does.
26
EPILOGUE
Shiloh's handis warm in mine as we weave through the crowded fairground, the scent of candy floss and roasted nuts thick in the air.
“Baby, look!” Shiloh tugs on my arm, pointing to an elaborate display of animatronic witches cackling over a steaming cauldron. “So fucking cool!”
I nod absentmindedly, more captivated by the way her eyes dance with childlike wonder than the admittedly impressive Halloween setup. “It's not bad,” I concede, allowing a small smile to tug at my lips.
We've been at this fair for hours now, and Shiloh's enthusiasm hasn't waned for a second. It's infectious, really. I find myself actually enjoying the tacky decorations and overpriced games, if only because they bring her such joy.
As we pass a ring toss booth, the bloody scarecrow behind the counter calls out to us in that bizarre sort of garbled British accent I still can’t get used to. “Step right up, sir! Win a prize for the lovely lady?”
I'm about to decline when Shiloh squeezes my hand. “Oh, come on, Dom. Have a go!”
With a dramatic sigh that makes her giggle, I hand over a five pound note and accept the plastic rings. “You know these games are rigged, right?”
Shiloh just shrugs, her grin widening. “Then I guess you'll have to use those legendary negotiation skills of yours, won't you?”
I can't help but chuckle at that. It still blows my mind how different my life is now compared to a year ago. No more boardroom battles or high-stakes deals. Just this–traveling the world with the woman I love, chasing whatever whim strikes our fancy.
To my surprise, I manage to land two of the five rings on the bottlenecks. It's probably not enough to win the oversized stuffed animal Shiloh's eyeing, but the scarecrow seems impressed.
“Not bad, mister! How about we make it double or nothing? Land one more and you can have any prize on the top shelf.”
