Page 14 of Savage Book Boyfriend

Genesis froze, her eyes widening with shock. I could see the questions forming, but I pushed on before she could ask.

“I didn’t want to tell anyone at first. I couldn’t even wrap my head around it, let alone explain it to anyone else. But when Beni came to me with this marriage proposal... I saw it as an out. A way to not deal with everything alone. I know it wasn’t fair to you. But I needed something—someone.”

Her hand found mine, and I could feel the warmth of her touch. It was grounding, like she was pulling me back from the edge.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice soft.

I looked down at our hands, then back up at her. “I didn’t know how. Hell, I didn’t even know if I wanted you to know. But... I’m telling you now because things have changed.”

“Changed how?”

I met her gaze, trying to find the right words. “You’ve changed things for me, Genesis. This marriage isn’t just about a deal with Beni anymore. You and Mia... you’ve become more to me than I expected. I wasn’t looking for a family, but I found one with you.”

Genesis blinked, her lips parting like she was about to speak, but nothing came out. She just stared at me, her eyes soft and searching.

“I don’t want you to think this is just some arrangement,” I continued, my voice a little rough. “I meant what I said that first night. I want this to work. I want us to work.”

She was quiet for a moment, but her hand squeezed mine. “Dante, I didn’t know...”

“I didn’t expect you to,” I interrupted. “But now that you do, I need you to understand something. Being with you, with Mia—it feels right. It feels like something I didn’t even know I needed.”

Grandma came back then, carrying a plate of pie, and the moment passed. But Genesis didn’t let go of my hand.

Later, when we said our goodbyes and got back in the car, Genesis was still quiet, but the tension I’d been expecting wasn’t there. She leaned into me as we drove back, her head resting on my shoulder, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe things would be okay.

As we pulled up to the house, I glanced over at her. “You alright?”

She looked up at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Yeah. I am.”

I wrapped an arm around her and carried Mia as we walked inside, holding her close. I’d confessed one of my deepest fears tonight, but instead of pushing her away, it felt like it had brought us closer.

And that? That was more than I could’ve ever hoped for.

Later that night, I was in my room, still processing everything from dinner. The weight of what I’d shared with Genesis had lifted some, but there was still a lot left unsaid. I wasn’t sure where we stood now, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us—something good.

I heard a soft knock on the door. “Dante?”

Genesis.

I stood and opened it, finding her standing there in her pajamas, looking smaller and more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her. There was a quiet hesitation in her eyes that I hadn’t noticed before, like she was balancing on the edge of something.

“Can I come in?” she asked softly.

I stepped aside, nodding as she walked past me and into the room. “Of course.”

She stood there for a moment, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were trying to gather her thoughts. I watched her closely, feeling a pull toward her that was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

Finally, she turned to face me. “Dante... I’ve been thinking.” Her voice was quiet but steady. “I... I want to move into your room. With you.”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised but intrigued. “You do?”

She nodded, her eyes locking onto mine with a mix of determination and vulnerability. “I’ve wanted to for a while now. But I didn’t have the courage until tonight.”

I took a step closer to her, my heart pounding in my chest. “What changed?”

Her gaze softened, and she let out a small sigh. “Tonight, at your grandmother’s... seeing how you are with Mia, how you are with me... it made me realize something. I’ve been holding back because of what I went through with Chant. I’ve been scared of letting someone in like that again.”

I clenched my jaw at the mention of Chant, but I forced myself to stay calm. This wasn’t about him. This was about her. “You don’t have to be scared with me, Genesis. I’m not him.”

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