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Still, I’m not sure I should buzz him up. Every time I’ve let my walls down, every time I’ve let him in, I’ve ended up regretting it. I’m not sure it’s worth the risk to let him in again.
But the end of his interview plays in my head, the serious look in his eyes as he turned toward the camera.
I’m done hiding.
“Sophie?” There’s a pleading note in his voice.
Without saying anything, I press the button to unlock the front entrance.
Less than a minute later, there’s a soft knock on my door. I open it to let him in, and the second I do, the tension between us is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. There’s practically electricity in the air, filling the few feet between us.
It’s even stronger than usual, which makes sense. I haven’t seen him in weeks. He looks so handsome, his hair damp from the rain, his gaze intense as he meets my eyes. He seems less worn down than he was the last time I saw him, during his father’s takeover attempt. He’s been getting enough rest, his workload back to normal.
But his face is still drawn, something strained in his features. Like he’s up in the air and isn’t sure he’ll land on his feet.
“I didn’t want to call,” he says. “I didn’t want you to be able to hang up.”
I stare up at him, my mind temporarily blank. I don’t know how to respond to him. I don’t know what to say.
From behind me, Reagan clears her throat. I jump, looking over my shoulder as Declan’s head whips up. He didn’t even seem to realize there was someone else in my apartment. His eyes have been locked on me since the moment I opened the door.
Reagan gives me a look, one eyebrow arched, as if she’s silently asking, Do you want me to stay?
After a second’s hesitation, I shake my head. A small, satisfied smile spreads across her face. She walks over to the door and slides past me and Declan. She closes the door behind herself, leaving the two of us alone in my apartment.
“I saw the clip,” I say, drawing my arms around my torso, as if trying to physically shield my heart from him. “Your interview. That was… something.”
He nods, running a hand through his damp hair. “That was all because of you,” he admits. “We’re taking steps to make Dynasty more accessible. Not just in the social media campaigns, but in all ways.”
I nod. “That’s great.”
He swallows. “And that interview…. I meant everything I said. I was so focused on not becoming my father that I didn’t realize what was happening to me. That I was losing sight of what really mattered, just like he did.”
He pauses, but I don’t say anything. I wait for him to finish.
“My company matters to me,” he says, his voice hoarse. “My work matters to me. My grandmother matters to me. But there’s something else that matters to me so much that I can’t live without it.”
My heart is in my throat as I speak. “And what’s that?”
He meets my gaze steadily. “You, Spitfire. You.”
Chapter 55
Declan
Sophie sucks in a breath, indecision written across her face. There’s hope in her eyes, warring with wariness and the old, lingering hurt. She wants to believe me. She wants to think that this is real. But I can also see the part of her that doesn’t.
“It doesn’t matter,” she mumbles, looking away. “It’s too late. I trusted you with my heart, and you hurt me, Declan.”
Shame courses through me at the reminder. “I know,” I tell her. “It’s all I can think about. I’ve been furious at myself for weeks.”
“After my parents died, I learned how to look out for myself,” she continues. “And I learned that I need to. And honestly, that message just keeps getting reinforced. I’m terrified to let you in again, because the next time you push me away, the next time you leave… it will break me.”
Impulsively, I step closer to her, emboldened when she doesn’t back away. I reach for her face, running my fingers over her cheek, tilting her head up so that her eyes meet mine.
“I’m not going to leave,” I whisper. “And I will never push you away again.”
Another flicker of doubt crosses her face.
