ALEX.
When I finally said it out loud, when I admitted that yes, I did see a future with him, it felt like stepping off a cliff and discovering, mid-fall, that I could fly. Niko didn’t even try to hide his reaction. He exhaled sharply, like he had been holding his breath for days, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. His hand came up to his face, fingers brushing over his mouth as he laughed under his breath, not amused or smug, just relieved.
“God,” he murmured. “You have no idea how good it is to hear that.”
I smiled faintly, though my chest still felt tight. “I meant it. I just… I don’t want to rush into something and mess it up.”
He nodded slowly. “I know.”
I hesitated, then added quietly, “I wasn’t refusing because I didn’t want you. I was just scared.”
He turned fully toward me
