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She sniffed, sobs racking her body. “You don’t mean that.” Her head dipped. “Don’t lie to protect me.”

“I never really needed to protect you.” I smiled, tears sliding over my lips. “You did a hell of a job of protecting yourself.” Her smile was small but enough. “And believe me, I’m not lying.”

She sighed. “Marcus—”

Without thinking, I crashed my mouth to hers, kissing her tears, kissing her hard enough that she knew she was the only thing worth saving tonight. I kissed her again before pulling back, the wind nearly sweeping us away.

“It’s you, Cora.” I shook my head. “It’s always been you.”

Her eyes softened. Her head tilted. “But you love this company.”

I shook my head. “Not as much as I love you.”

Relief flooded her eyes. I’d been an idiot to wait this long to let her feel that. I’d been an idiot not screaming that I loved her from the rooftops. But now that I had, I never wanted to stop.

Her eyes batted. “You love me?”

“I’d be insane not to.” My hand slipped to her jaw. “I’ve loved you for a long time, and I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

She shook her head. “It’s okay—”

“No.” My hands clasped hers like she’d disappear if I didn’t. “It’s not. I let you think I didn’t care, and I’m so sorry. I promise, if you’ll let me, I’ll never let you feel like that again.”

For a heartbeat, she looked at me, memorising my face. Then, with a soft, trembling breath, she nodded. No words. Justthat tiny, devastating nod—handing me the part of her heart she’d kept barricaded for years.

With tears in my eyes, I whispered, “It’s you.”

She blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks. But this time, her eyes weren’t sad.

I pressed my mouth to her forehead, wishing the world would stop spinning, and slowly turned to face Arthur.

He was pacing. When I turned, he stopped, curiosity etched on his face.

“Well?”

I took a breath, thinking.

Romano was everything to me. We’d built it from nothing. No money, no clients, just a desire to protect. But we’d made it work. And without it, I wouldn’t be the man I am today.

And I wouldn’t have found the love I’d finally deserved.

Loving Cora was like the moon loving the tides. No matter the distance, she felt my pull. No matter how much I told myself she deserved calmer seas, she kept coming back, chasing the gravity between us like the only truth that mattered.

And maybe that’s why I never trusted it. The moon can’t touch the water without stirring it, raising it, risking a storm. I didn’t want to flood her world. But Cora… she braved the waves. She braved me. And now… I couldn’t imagine a world where I didn’t let her win every argument, where I didn’t finally crash into her, no matter the cost.

I nodded, stealing one final breath. “Where do I sign?”

Arthur’s face shifted into a toxic cocktail of relief and greed. “I knew I liked you.” He slid the paper forward, the scratch of the page deafening.

The pen clicked in my fingers, cold and metallic, heavier than it should have been.

I lowered it to the paper.

Then… I stopped.

Arthur’s gaze flickered, suspicion etched across his face.

“You going to write your name, or just admire the paper?” His tone was steel.