Chapter 32: Warmth after the storm

When I woke up, my throat burned, dry and sore as if the ocean itself still clung to it. My stomach growled, an ache of hunger gnawing from within. Sean’s arms were already around me, firm yet careful and before I could even find my strength, he lifted me effortlessly.

“Easy,” he whispered, voice rough with worry. “You need to eat first.”

He carried me to the dining room and set me gently on the chair. The smell of warm soup filled the air, the kind that carried comfort in every breath. I didn’t wait for him to say anything more, I ate like someone who hadn’t seen food in years. Every bite felt like life coming back into me.

Sean chuckled softly, watching me. “Slow down, you’ll choke.”

I looked up, cheeks warm, and smiled before taking another spoonful. “I’m just making up for lost time,” I said, sighing in relief as I leaned back when the plate was finally empty.

He handed me a glass of water. “You look better already.”

I reached across the table and took his hand, pressing a kiss on his knuckles. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I murmured.

He leaned in closer, his forehead resting against mine. “You don’t have to think about that,” he said softly. “You’re safe now.”

I looked into his eyes, that calm, protective warmth and something inside me melted. I kissed him, first softly, then again, peppering his face with small, grateful pecks.

He giggled like a child, the sound of it filling the room with a strange, innocent happiness I hadn’t felt in so long. “Rose,” he said, laughing as I kissed his cheek, his nose, his jaw, “you’re supposed to be resting.”

“I missed you,” I said, still smiling. Then my tone dropped just slightly. “Sean…I heard them saying Michael is a Halloran.”

The laughter faded. For a second, I saw something flash behind his eyes, worry, or something heavier than he wanted to show me. Then he smiled faintly, brushing my hair behind my ear.

“I’ll figure it out,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

I nodded, though deep inside, I could feel the weight of that name pressing down on me. Halloran. It meant power, reach, and danger and even though Sean was trying to comfort me, I could tell he was already calculating what it meant or what might come next.

We finished eating in silence. The hum of the television filled the background when we later moved to the living room. The news flickered in soft colors across his face, and I rested my head on his shoulder, just breathing in the stillness.

When I finally looked at my phone, my heart sank. Missed calls, so many of them. Unknown numbers, a few familiar ones, and one that made my hands tremble slightly.

“Don’t,” Sean said gently when he saw my expression.

I switched it off and placed it face down. “I won’t.”

“Good.” He exhaled slowly. “You need peace tonight. You’ve had enough chaos.”

We went to bed soon after. The sheets smelled like detergent and faint cologne, his scent and I wanted to sink into it, to pretend that nothing else existed. But my mind wouldn’t stop. My thoughts went to Dad, the distance in his voice, the coldness that had replaced care. I still couldn’t understand how someone so protective once could just… turn off his heart.

Tears stung my eyes before I could stop them. I tried to blink them away, but they came anyway, silent and hot down my cheeks.

Sean turned toward me in the dark. “Hey,” he whispered. “What’s wrong?”

I didn’t answer at first. He pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around me, firm and grounding. My face pressed against his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat.

“He doesn’t care,” I said finally, my voice breaking. “He doesn’t even care that I almost died.”

“Shh…” Sean’s fingers brushed through my hair. “He’ll realize one day. Some people only see value when they lose it.”

I looked up at him through tears. “Sean… let’s go get a marriage certificate.”

He blinked, surprised. “Now?”

“Yes. If we’re married, they can’t try anything. I want this to be real before they come back.”

He was silent for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay,” he said simply. “We’ll go tomorrow morning.”

Relief filled me, but it was mixed with something fierce . I pulled him closer, kissed him again, and this time I didn’t stop.

“Rose,” he murmured against my lips, half smiling, half breathless, “you should rest.”

But I didn’t want to rest. I wanted to feel alive again. My hands trailed up his shoulders, my breath trembling as our lips found rhythm, our hearts pounding faster. His fingers tangled in my hair as he kissed me back, gentle at first, then deep, deliberate.

The world outside disappeared. Just warmth and skin and the sound of our breathing filling the room.

When it was over, we stayed tangled together, the sheets twisted between us. My head rested on his chest, his hand tracing lazy circles on my back. The night outside was silent, but my mind was still restless.

“Sean,” I whispered. “Do you think he’ll come back for me?”

He hesitated. “He might try,” he admitted softly. “But this time, he won’t win.”

Something in his tone made me believe him.

“Sleep,” he whispered finally.

I just closed my eyes, listening to his heartbeat again. It was steady, and I let it pull me under, away from the noise of everything else and Even though he kept on reassuring me and promising that everything was fine, my heart wouldn’t quiet down. His words were convincing, but somewhere deep inside, a part of me still trembled. I wanted to believe him so badly, to let his comfort drown my doubts, yet the image of Michael lingered in my mind like a bruise that refused to fade. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was not right and I drifted off.