Erased vows

CHAPTER TWENTY

The sun was setting when we left the hotel, the sky streaked with pink and gold. Liam had changed into a black shirt and jeans, looking less like a CEO and more like the man I’d fallen for years ago. He didn’t say much as we drove into town, his hands tight on the wheel, but his eyes kept flicking to me, like he was afraid I’d vanish.

We parked near a small village, all whitewashed buildings and cobblestone streets, the air thick with the smell of grilled fish and jasmine. The Restaurant Theo had mentioned glowed with string lights, music spilling out, but Liam steered us past it, his hand brushing mine as we walked.

“Not there,” he said, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “I’ve got something better.”

He led me through narrow alleys, past old women selling olives and kids chasing each other with sparklers. The sea was never far, its salty breath on every breeze.

We stopped at a tiny place tucked against the cliffs, no sign, just a few wooden tables and a guy playing a guitar. Liam ordered wine and plates of food; olives, feta, bread warm from the oven but his eyes never left me.

“You came here before?” I asked, sipping the wine, its tang sharp on my tongue.

He shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t think so. But it feels right, you know? Like I could’ve.” His voice was low, his gaze soft, and for a moment, I saw the old Liam, the one who’d laugh with me under the stars, who’d hold my hand like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

Cutting my thoughts short, “If it makes you feel safer, my dad talks about her a lot.”

We ate slowly, the music wrapping around us, the sea’s hum in the background. He told me about the nightmares again, quieter this time, like he was afraid to break the moment.

“The woman in my dreams,” he said, staring at his glass, “she’s always just out of reach. But her voice… It's like yours, Nita. It pulls me back, every time.”

My heart ached, torn between joy and fear. I wanted to tell him it was me, that I was his wife, but the threat from last night; the text, the note was enough to keep my lips sealed. Instead, I reached across the table, my fingers brushing his.

“Maybe she’s closer than you think,” I said, my voice barely steady.

His hand turned, catching mine, his thumb tracing slow circles on my skin. “Maybe,” he murmured, his eyes locking on mine, warm and heavy. The air felt thick, like we were the only two people in the world.

After dinner, he didn’t want to go back. “Let’s see more,” he said, his voice lighter, almost playful. We wandered the village, the streets glowing under moonlight, the sea glinting like a secret. He took me to a quiet beach, the sand cool under our feet, the waves lapping soft and steady. We sat on a flat rock, close enough that our shoulders touched, the heat of him engulfing me.

“Why’d you really stop me from going with Theo?” I asked, my voice soft, the wine making me brave.

He looked out at the sea, his jaw tight. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “It’s like… you’re mine, Nita. Not in a bad way, just… like you’re part of me. And I can’t let that go.”

He turned to me, his face close, his breath warm. “Does that sound crazy?”

“No,” I whispered, my heart pounding. “It sounds like us.”

“But…” I paused. “You are getting married soon.”

“Forget about Clarisse, right now it is just us,” he replied.

He leaned closer, his hand finding my cheek, his touch gentle but sure. For a second, I thought he’d kiss me, and I wanted it so bad it hurt. But he stopped, his eyes searching mine, like he was looking for permission, or answers, or both.

“Nita,” he said, voice rough, “I don’t know what’s real anymore. But you feel real.”

I couldn’t stop myself. I closed the gap, my lips brushing his, soft at first, then deeper, like we were pulling each other out of the dark. He kissed me back, his hand sliding to my neck, holding me like I was his lifeline. It was everything I’d missed, his warmth, his taste, the way he made the world disappear.

When we pulled apart, breathless, he rested his forehead against mine.

“I don’t know what this is,” he said, voice low, “but I don’t want it to stop.”

“Me neither,” I said, my voice shaking. The threats, the secrets, they were still out there, waiting. But right now, it was just us, the sea, and the feeling of coming home.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, sharp and cold. I ignored it, clinging to this moment, but the fear crept back, a shadow I couldn’t shake. Liam’s arms tightened around me, like he could feel it too. Whoever was watching us, they weren’t done. But neither were we.