Chapter 190
Rowan's POV
"I didn't know what it said until Rowan opened the box in his office," Lucas said. "The moment he saw it, he lost his shit. Called us both manipulative assholes."
I remembered that conversation. The fury I'd felt, realizing they'd used my handwriting to craft some romantic message I'd never intended to write.
Lena was quiet for a moment, her fingers drumming once against the armrest. "And Nora? What was your actual relationship with her, Rowan?"
I moved around to sit beside her, close enough to touch but not presuming. "We were never together. Not really. She pursued me in college, and I... let her hang around because Lucas was my friend. It was easier than dealing with the drama of cutting her off."
"After graduation, she went to Europe," Lucas said. "We all thought she'd moved on. When she came back, I asked Rowan to help her professionally. Make some introductions, give her a chance to build something here."
"I owed Lucas a favor," I said. "Years ago, he helped me out of a tight spot with a business deal. So when he asked me to meet Nora at the airport, to help her settle in—I agreed. That's all it was supposed to be."
Lena turned to Lucas. "But she wanted more than professional help."
"Yes." Lucas looked miserable. "She took my request as permission to insert herself into Rowan's life. Into your marriage. I didn't realize how far she'd gone until the hotel incident." He paused. "What she did to you was unforgivable. I'm not asking you to forgive her, or me for enabling her. I just want you to know—there was never anything real between her and Rowan. It was always one-sided."
"The truth is," Colin added quietly, "Nora wanted what Rowan represented. Status, connections, a way into the circles she felt excluded from growing up. It was never about him as a person."
Lena absorbed this in silence. Then she looked at me. "The words on that card. 'I'll always be here for you.' You said the same thing to me."
"I did." I held her gaze. "Because I meant it. What Lucas and Colin did with my handwriting—that was them playing puppet master. What I said to you at the cabin was me, making a promise I intend to keep."
"How do I know you're not just saying what you think I want to hear?"
"Because I'm not asking you to trust my words," I said. "I'm asking you to trust my actions. Everything I've done since the cabin—staying with you, protecting you, being there when you needed me—that's real. That's me trying to be the man I should have been from the start."
She was quiet for a long moment, her eyes searching mine.
"Nora's been dealt with," Lucas said into the silence. "Legally and professionally. What she did—drugging you, trying to destroy your reputation—I take responsibility for not seeing it sooner. For not stopping her."
"We both do," Colin added. "We were trying to help a friend and ended up making everything worse. For that, we're sorry."
Lena studied them both, then turned back to me. "I want to believe you."
"Then believe me." I reached for her hand, slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. "I know I've given you every reason not to trust me. But I'm asking you to try anyway. To give me the chance to prove that what I feel for you is real."
"Rowan—"
"I love you," I said, and the words came easier this time. "I'm in love with you. Not because you're convenient, not because you fit some role I need filled. Because you're you. Because you're brilliant and brave and you make me want to be better than I am."
Her eyes glistened. "You can't just say that and expect—"
"I'm not expecting anything." I squeezed her hand gently. "I'm just telling you the truth. What I want. And what I want is you. A real relationship. A real futuret." I paused. "But only if that's what you want too."
She looked down at our joined hands, then at Lucas and Colin, who were doing their best impression of furniture.
"Thank you for explaining," she said quietly. "I appreciate your honesty."
Lucas nodded. "If you have any other questions—about Nora, about anything—I'll answer them. No more secrets."
"Same here," Colin added. "And for what it's worth, I've never seen Rowan like this about anyone. He's absolutely gone for you."
I shot him a look, but Lena's mouth quirked slightly—not quite a smile, but close.
"I think we're done here," she said, standing. I rose with her, my hand still holding hers. "Thank you both for coming."
They took the dismissal gracefully, Colin clapping me on the shoulder as he passed. "Don't fuck it up," he muttered.
"Wasn't planning on it."
When they were gone, Lena and I stood in the suddenly quiet room, her hand still in mine.
"I'm scared," she said finally, so quietly I almost missed it.
"I know." I cupped her face gently with my free hand. "I'm scared too. Terrified I'll mess this up again. But I'd rather be scared with you than safe without you."
She leaned into my touch slightly, her eyes searching mine. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"Promise me you won't say things you don't mean. That if you tell me you love me, it's because you actually do. Not because it's what you think I need to hear."
"I promise." I meant it with everything I had. "I love you, Lena. That's not a line. It's not something I'm saying to manipulate you or keep you around. It's just the truth."
She took a shaky breath. "Then... okay. We can try."
Relief and hope and something dangerously close to joy flooded through me. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." A small smile tugged at her lips. "But Rowan? If you ever make me doubt whether I matter to you again—"
"I won't." I pulled her closer, resting my forehead against hers. "You matter more than anything. And I'm going to spend every day proving that to you."
She rose on her toes and kissed me—soft and tentative and real. I kissed her back carefully, like she was something precious I'd almost lost.
When we finally pulled apart, she was smiling. Actually smiling.
"Take me home?" she asked quietly.
"Anywhere you want to go."
We left the Oak Club hand in hand.