Page 53 of Tempting My Nemesis

For a moment, we lay there, our bodies entwined, our breaths mingling in the quiet of the room. I can feel her heart beating in time with mine, a steady rhythm that speaks to our unity.

I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, my hand tracing soothing patterns on her back. "I love you, Zoe," I whisper, the words feeling as natural as breathing.

She tilts her head up to look at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"I love you too, Caleb," she replies, her voice soft but filled with conviction.

In this moment, nothing else matters. The outside world, with all its demands and complications, fades into insignificance. Here, in the quiet warmth of Zoe's apartment, it's just the two of us, bound together by a love that refuses to be denied.

I pull Zoe closer, feeling her heartbeat against my chest. The weight of my past suddenly presses down on me, and I know it's time to share the truth she deserves to hear.

"Zoe," I whisper, my voice rough with emotion. "There's something I need to tell you."

She looks up at me, her eyes soft and encouraging. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the memories that still haunt me.

"After my parents died, everything changed. I was thrown into the system, angry and lost. That's where I met Kane." I feel Zoe tense at the mention of his name, but I press on. "We were both messed up kids, but we had a talent for computers. It felt like we could take on the world."

I pause, the bitterness of betrayal still sharp after all these years. "Our last job together... Kane set me up. He nearly got me caught, Zoe. If it wasn't for Silencebreakers, I'd be rotting in a cell right now."

Zoe's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. Her touch anchors me, giving me the strength to continue.

"Kane has carried that vendetta ever since. But to me it pushed me to be better, to prove I could escape that life. I threw myself into my studies, and somehow, I landed a scholarship to MIT."

A small smile tugs at my lips as I remember those early days.

"That's where I met Dom, Nate, Liam, and Asher. They became the brothers I never had. Together, we founded Silencebreakers, determined to use our skills for good, to right the wrongs we saw in the world."

I look down at Zoe, searching her face for any sign of judgment or fear. Instead, I find only understanding and love.

"You're the first person outside of Silencebreakers that I've told this to," I admit quietly. "I've spent so long guarding this part of myself, afraid of what would happen if anyone found out. But with you, Zoe... I want to share everything."

Zoe reaches up, her hand cupping my cheek.

"Thank you for trusting me," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I love you, Caleb. All of you."

Her words hit me like a tidal wave, crashing through every wall I've ever built. For a moment, I can't breathe, can't think. I've spent so long believing I wasn't worthy of love, that my past had tainted me beyond redemption. But here she is, this incredible woman, looking at me with eyes full of love and acceptance.

A sob catches in my throat, and I feel tears burning behind my eyes.

"Zoe," I choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I never thought I'd hear those words. Never thought I deserved them."

My hands tremble as I cup her face, my thumbs brushing away the tears that have started to fall from her eyes.

"You've seen the darkest parts of me, the scars I've tried so hard to hide, and you're still here. You're still looking at me like I'm something precious."

I take a shaky breath, feeling years of pent-up emotion threatening to overflow.

"I love you, Zoe. God, I love you so much it terrifies me. You've become my anchor, my light in the darkness. I don'tknow how to be the man you deserve, but I swear I'll spend every day trying."

My voice breaks on the last word, and suddenly I'm crying, really crying, for the first time in years. Zoe pulls me close, her arms wrapping around me as I bury my face in her neck. She holds me as I let go of years of pain and loneliness, whispering words of love and comfort.

When I finally lift my head, I see her eyes shining with tears and love. I feel raw, exposed, but also lighter than I have in years.

Her words wash over me, soothing old wounds and igniting a new warmth within me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CALEB

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