Almost His

Chapter 2

Naomi walked out of the room, unable to breathe in the sterile, quiet air of the office. She needed space, needed to hear her own thoughts — and more than anything, she needed to hear him.

Her hand trembled as she dialed his number. She’d rehearsed this a thousand times, but now that it was real, she felt every second stretch.

“Hello?” His voice was instantly recognizable, sharp and grumpy, the tone she had secretly missed all these years.

“It’s me,” she said softly. “I… I need to tell you something. My marriage — it’s over.”

There was a long pause, and then a low, growling chuckle. “Finally,” he said, cutting. “Took you long enough to figure out he would never love you the way you deserve.”

Naomi blinked, startled by the possessiveness in his tone. “I… I know. I should have realized sooner.”

“You should have,” he snapped, frustration thick in every word. “I’ve been waiting, Naomi. Waiting for you to see what I’ve seen from the beginning — that he could never be the one. That you’re… mine.”

Her breath caught. “Yours?”

“Yes,” he said, voice low and gruff. “I’ve been patient. Too patient. You can’t just waltz in after all this time and expect me to be all smiles. You’ve been gone. I’ve been holding… everything. And now you’re finally free? Don’t think this makes it easy for me.”

Naomi’s heart raced, equal parts scared and exhilarated. She’d always known he cared — maybe even loved her — but hearing it now, in that possessive, grumpy way, made it undeniable.

“So… what about what’s yours?” she asked, trying to steady her voice.

His laugh was dark, half-mocking. “Everything. I’ve been waiting too long to let you go, Naomi. Don’t think you get to decide how easy this is going to be.”

Her chest was still racing from the call when a knock at the door pulled her back to reality. She opened it to find Parker, the lawyer, holding a neat stack of papers and a clipboard.

“Naomi,” he said smoothly. “I’ve got the divorce papers ready for you to sign.”

Her old friend — still on speakerphone — growled low in her ear. “Don’t think this changes anything. That man can handle papers all he wants. He doesn’t get a say in us.”

Naomi swallowed, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. “I… I know,” she murmured.

Parker raised an eyebrow at her distracted expression. “Everything okay?”

“Yes,” she said quickly, trying to sound normal. “Just… thinking.”

“Thinking about what?” Parker asked, pen poised.

“About finally moving on,” Naomi said, forcing a small smile, though her mind was elsewhere. Her old friend’s voice had shifted, low and possessive, muttering, “Finally realizing you were mine all along…”

Parker handed her a pen. “Well, we can’t move forward without signatures, and he—uh, your husband—won’t be signing today, so this is your first step.”

Naomi nodded, picking up the pen, heart thudding in her chest. Her old friend’s grumpy, possessive tone lingered in her ear. “Take your time,” he said. “But don’t think for a second I’m letting anyone else near you. You’re mine, Naomi.”

She laughed softly, a mix of nerves and relief. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With a deep breath, she signed the papers, glancing at Parker to confirm the formalities. But in her mind, there was only one thought: finally, she was free, and finally, someone who had always been hers was claiming her like he should have all along.