Roberto Pov
The tide of grief that had been drowning me since I realized Devlin’s dreams would never see the light of day seemed to pull back a little when Kylie’s arms wrapped around me. It wasn’t gone—not even close. I didn’t want it gone. Moving on as if nothing had happened would be a betrayal, a mockery of the gaping hole left in my chest. That wound wasn’t closing anytime soon.
I closed my eyes, letting the scent of roses envelop me. Kylie’s scent. It was warm and familiar, a fleeting anchor in the storm that was tearing me apart. “Devlin was…” My throat tightened, the words scraping against the raw edges of my grief.
She hugged me tighter, mindful of the bruises I’d barely noticed until now. “You don’t have to talk about it if you’re not ready.”
“I do,” I murmured, though the tr
