Tears blur my vision as I look at him — this man who would shoulder all the blame just to take the pain away from me.
"I just love you so much, Asher," I whisper.
I rise up on my toes, my heart pounding, and he meets me halfway. Our lips find each other, the kiss slow and deep, the kind that says everything words can’t.
That kiss — it’s everything.
It gives me assurance.
It gives me peace.
It calms the storm inside me.
At that moment, nothing else matters — not the gunshots, not the fear, not the danger still out there somewhere. All that matters is Asher.
That he’s alive. That he’s with me.
A throat clears behind us, and we break apart to find Luca standing awkwardly in the hallway.
"You guys can take the bedroom," he says, glancing away politely. "I'll be in the living room if
