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“Yeah, but his dad isn’t the kind of man to leave loose ends. He’ll be sure Dalton thinks I left because I didn’t care. That I chose my career over him. I’ll be persona non grata. Hell, Emma is probably already moved back into his apartment, nursing him back to health.”

“That’s why Monroe’s there. That man’s got the stubbornness of a mule and loyalty to match. He’ll tell Dalton the truth.”

“Not if Vincent threatened him, too,” I countered, the thought like a punch to the gut. “It’s been a week, Gracie. A week of nothing. No calls. No texts. Nothing from him. At this point…” My voice cracked. “At this point, I have to accept that I lost him. I lost the love of my life.”

Gracie’s hand shot out, gripping mine tightly. “No. Don’t you dare go down that road. You did what you thought was right. You protected him, even if it meant breaking your own heart. That’s not losing him, Ari. That’s loving him. And if Dalton has even an ounce of sense, he’ll see through his dad’s bullshit.” She paused, ducking her head down so our eyes were locked. “He just needs time to process everything. He loves you. I know it.”

She sounded so sure. But the doubts still clawed at me, sharp and relentless. My heart couldn’t take the hope.

Before I could respond, movement on one of the TVs above the bar caught my attention. My heart stumbled as Dalton’s name scrolled across the banner at the bottom of the screen, accompanied by his photo.

“Turn it up,” I called to the bartender, standing so quickly that my chair scraped against the floor. Even with the volume turned up, the bar’s noise made it hard to catch what the announcers said. I stepped closer, trying to read their lips, my heart pounding.

“Is it about his injury?” I asked, panic threading through my voice. My mind raced, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios. Was he okay? Was this about his recovery?

“You’re not going to find out from there,” came a deep voice from behind me, cutting through the noise.

I froze.

My entire body stiffened, my heart racing like I’d sprinted ten miles. Slowly, I turned around, my breath catching when I saw him.

Dalton stood there, tall and imposing, green eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that rooted me to the spot. My knees threatened to buckle under the weight of the moment.

“Oh my god,” the words came out as a choked sob, and there was no holding back the tears streaming down my cheeks. “Dalton?” I breathed, the name slipping from my lips like a prayer.

He stepped closer, the noise of the bar fading into the background.

“You’re here? In San Jose?” My voice cracked as my mind struggled to process what I was seeing.

That he was really here, that I wasn’t dreaming.

He nodded, his expression unreadable as he moved closer. “I needed to see you. Needed to hear you say it.” His tone was soft but insistent, his green eyes searching mine.

“Say what?” My confusion grew, my heart thundering in my chest as he drew closer, our bodies only inches apart.

This had to be real. I could feel the heat from his body, the scent of his cologne, but I was afraid to touch him.

Because if this wasn’t…if this were a cruel trick caused by alcohol and grief, I really would die of a broken heart.

“The last thing you texted me,” he said, his voice a whisper now. “Say it, Sunshine.”

My emotions crashed over me like a tidal wave, battering my bruised heart.

“I love you, Dalton Thatcher. With every fucking fiber of my being. You don’t limit me, and as scary as it was to think of attaching myself to someone, you showed me that all you want to do is see me reach my dreams.” Another sob slipped out. “Because doing that doesn’t require being alone when it’s the right person by your side. And you’re the right person, Thatcher.”

The second the last words left my mouth, his hands cupped my face, and his lips crashed onto mine. The kiss was desperate and raw, a collision of love and relief that left me breathless. I twisted my hands into the fabric of his hoodie.

“Your ribs!” I gasped, jumping back in a panic when he winced. “You’re supposed to be recovering. Should you even be standing?”

He laughed softly, pulling me back into his body before I could get too far and resting his forehead against mine. “I’m fine, Sunshine. Better than fine now. I needed to see you. I needed to tell you that you’re it for me.” He cupped my face. “You’re everything. I love you, and I’m not losing you. I’m not letting you get away.”

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to be there when you woke up. I wanted⁠—”

“Shh.” He pressed a finger to my lips, his eyes soft and full of understanding. “I know. Monroe told me everything.”

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling as they rested against his chest. “I didn’t want to leave. I swear I didn’t. But I couldn’t let him trade Monroe and Jimenez. I couldn’t take that away from you, or from them.”

His jaw tightened, and he wrapped his arms around me, careful of his injuries. “I hate what he did to you. To us. But I’m done letting him control my life, Sunshine. Done.”