Page 119 of Ash Storm

“Yes, I have. That doesn’t make me weak-minded. I don’t need to be taken care of.” She thought of that for a second, of how much she’d enjoyed the many ways in which he’d taken care of her. “That’s not true. You’ve taken care of me in a hundred good ways. But this is not one of them. I know what I’m feeling, Ash, and I need you to believe me.”

Reka could see he was afraid—this tough, brave man was afraid to believe her, afraid that he would end up hurting her.

The fool.

She thought for a moment. The sky was almost dark now. In the distance, the city lights shone like little stars.

How would I try to explain this to one of my patients?

“How would you feel, Ash, if I started second-guessing your feelings for me?”

“You can’t,” he said immediately. “I love you. I will always love you.”

“Okay. Well, you shouldn’t second-guess my feelings for you either.”

“You really mean this, Re? You love me … like forever love me?”

She smiled. “Yeah. Like that.”

His eyes glowed for a moment, then dimmed again.

“We can’t do this. This team … I have to stay five years, or I’ll go right back to prison. Who knows where you’ll be in five years’ time, when I’m finally free?”

“I’ll be right here, Ash.”

“Right here?”

Reka shrugged. She’d had enough time to think about this. “Here, in Zurich, or wherever you guys go. I’ll be able to keep seeing most of my patients online. I’ll have to get a visa, but I’m sure it’ll be okay. And I want to start a new project, working with refugees and victims of human trafficking. I don’t yet know what it’s going to look like, but I’m not going to turn my back on any of those women.”

Respect shone in his eyes. “Of course you won’t, Re.” He sighed. “I … I don’t know what to say. Nobody’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

“Say yes.”

He took a step forward and lifted her around the waist, so her feet were no longer touching the ground. “Yes. Yes.”

She laughed, dizzy. “Put me down, Ash! Before you end up hurting your shoulder, and before we go over the railing. It didn’t look that solid.”

“Sorry. Sorry. I just … I love you, Re.”

She wasn’t sorry. As far as she was concerned, he could say it as many times as he liked, and she would say it right back.

“I love you too, Ash.”