89 Reconciliation 1
89 Reconciliation 1
An hour later, I heard the softest knock on the door. My heart skipped, but I didn’t move to answer. I’d left the door ajar, knowing who it would be. Theo stepped inside quietly, closing the door behind him. His movements were cautious, almost hesitant, as though he wasn’t sure how I would receive him. He approached the bed with careful steps, his voice breaking the stillness of the room.
“Lacy,” he murmured, his tone unsure, testing to see if I was asleep. I got off the bed, my bare feet brushing against the cool floor. The surprise on his face was clear when he realized I had been awake all along, lying in wait.
Without a word, I walked up to him, my emotions boiling over. My hand struck his cheek in a sharp slap before I even registered the motion. The sound echoed in the quiet room, and Theo’s expression shifted from shock to something softer—something that showed he understood why. Before he could react, I buried my face in his chest, my tears flowing freely, soaking his shirt as I trembled in his arms.
“Don’t you ever risk your life like that again, Theo,” I choked out, my voice breaking under the weight of my fear and relief. I could feel his body stiffen, but after a moment, his arms came around me, slowly, tightly. He held me as if he never wanted to let go, as if he was clinging to me to remind himself that he was truly home.
“I’m sorry, Lacy,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. I let out a small laugh between my sobs, a sound that came from deep within me, both bitter and sweet.
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately, Theo,” I replied, my words laced with exhaustion, love, and a touch of humor. He gently rubbed my back, his warmth grounding me as I clung to him.
“I need to confess something,” he began, his tone hesitant, but I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. Shaking my head, I stopped him before he could continue.
“There’s nothing you can confess that I don’t already know,” I said softly. “I felt it, Theo. I know you slept with her. I know you spared her life and the lives of your sons. You did what you thought was right, and it worked. You averted a war. I’m not angry, Theo, but…” My voice wavered as fresh tears spilled over. “I won’t share you. Don’t ask me to share you. She might be sick, but that doesn’t change my feelings. I won’t share.”
Theo cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away my tears. His gaze was filled with a deep, raw sincerity that made my chest ache.
“You’ve never had to share me, Lacy,” he said firmly, his voice steady and sure. “And I won’t do that to you now. I love you too much. Those moments with Karolyn were… they were hard, and they were necessary at the time. But I never want to be in that position again.”
A small smile broke through my tears. “You smell like her,” I said, my voice soft but teasing. “Go shower and come to bed. Enough talking. I want everything to go back to normal—no, better than normal.”
He nodded, relief washing over his features as he returned my smile. I went back to bed, pulling the covers up as Theodisappeared into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he returned, his hair damp and his skin glowing from the hot water. He slid into bed beside me, pulling me close, and I felt the solid warmth of him against my back.
Theo was strikingly handsome, and I could understand why Karolyn had fallen for him, why she had turned her back on her mission. But none of that mattered now. He was mine, and he had come home to me.
I whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the goddess, promising again to keep the vows I had made in my darkest moments. Theo’s touch brought me back to the present, his hands roaming, his lips brushing against my skin. That night, we loved each other with an urgency born from fear and relief, from the realization of how close we had come to losing it all. We didn’t sleep until the early hours, our connection rekindled stronger than ever.
When we finally emerged from our room the next morning, it was well past breakfast. The great room buzzed with activity—Luca and Emma beamed, their happiness infectious, while Mathias and Leo worked tirelessly, making calls and helping families return to their territories. It was a comforting chaos, a sign that life was moving forward again.
As Theo and I sat close, his hand in mine like old times, I realized how much I had missed this simple intimacy. “We should leave, Theo,” I said, my voice low. “It’s time to go back to Ashfield. We’ve stayed here long enough.”
Before Theo could respond, Emma cut in, her face lighting up with excitement. “You can’t leave now!” she exclaimed, and I frowned slightly, wondering what she meant. “Luca and I are renewing our vows this Saturday. It’ll be a small gathering, just close friends and family. You have to stay.”
Though I felt it was unnecessary—they were already married, after all—I couldn’t bring myself to dampen her joy. Smiling, I offered my congratulations, my heart lightened by the happiness around us.
For the first time in a long while, I felt hope. No one had died, and we were on the path to healing. Life was finally falling back into place, and for that, I was deeply grateful.