Not a queen.
Not a revolutionary.
Not a PTSD victim.
Not a bride.
Not an orphan.
I am quite simply…
Myself.
And, when I’m in his arms…
That is enough.
That is more than enough.
* * *
If we weren’tin a church, it’s highly probable that the kiss might’ve gotten wildly out of hand. As it is, we only lose ourselves for a few moments before Chloe whistles sharply.
“Hey! Lovebirds! There’ll be plenty of time for that later.”
Carter sighs as he pulls back slightly, resting his forehead against mine. He hasn’t yet relinquished his hold. I have a feeling the prospect of letting go sounds as unpleasant to him as it does to me.
“So you’ve been here this whole time? In Germania?” I breathe, narrowing my eyes at him. “Helping Henry?”
He nods tightly. “Yes.”
“What about your Switzerland project?”
“Switzerland can wait. This was more important.”
“I can’t believe you knew he was alive. That the two of you planned this…”
“As soon as I learned the truth about what happened to Henry the night of the fire… I knew I had to step in.”
“What truth? What happened that night?”
“That isn’t my story to tell.”
“Okay. I can wait.” Eyes filling with tears as I stare into his eyes — those blue, blue, blue eyes — I bump his nose gently with mine.
“Why are you crying?” he whispers.
“I thought I’d never see you again. I thought—”
“Hey.Don’t.” He presses his lips hard against mine, stopping my sob in its tracks. “Do you think I’d actually let that happen? That I’d let you marry Sterling without doing everything in my power to stop it?”
I blink at him in surprise. “I—Well—”
“Didn’t I tell you?You’re mine, Emilia. Always and forever. That means I will never let you go. Not in this lifetime. Not even in the next.”
A tear slips from the corner of my right eye. Carter kisses it away as it rolls down my cheek.
“I love you,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I love you so much, I thought I’d die without you. If Henry hadn’t objected when he did, I was about to break it off.”