Page 167 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

But it doesn’t stop me from loving him. From respecting the man who built so much out of nothing. Who can still have compassion for people like Rafe. People like me. Who can realize he’s not doing enough and change it.

Tears bead on my lashes. I love so many things about him. So many things I’ll never be able to tell him.

“You were right.”

My eyes fly open. Did I imagine that voice? I sit up and look around. There he is. Still too handsome, with his dark hair blown wild by the wind, that slight smile curving his lips up.

His pale blue eyes shift from mine to the ocean behind me.

“It is beautiful.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Michail did some additional digging on Louis Paul.”

I barely stop myself from slumping. He’s here about business.

“But even before he showed up, I knew I’d made a mistake.”

I suck in a shuddering breath. “Oh?”

“I told you the most important thing in my life was Drakos.” He stares at me like we haven’t seen each other in centuries, devouring me with every shift of his eyes. “But I lied. Both to you and myself.”

He crouches down in front of me. I don’t want to hope. I don’t want to think that there’s possibly some way we could fix this. I thought I would never see him again, unless it was on the cover of a magazine or a news report. If this is to be the last time we see each other, the last time he touches me, I want to savor every moment I can. I’ve apologized for my role and what happened. I’ve grown a lot in the last few weeks. But if he can’t change with me, we have nothing.

“I don’t want an arrangement, Juliette.”

The pain is swift, sharp. He’s going to ask for a divorce. Not even the prospect of losing Drakos North America is enough for him to want to stay married.

“I see.”

“I want you.”

My head snaps up. “What?”

“I want you as my wife. As my partner. As...” His voice falters. “As the mother of my children. I lied when I said Drakos was the most important thing.” He reaches up and smooths my hair away from my face. I can’t help but lean into his touch. “It’s you, Juliette.”

I blink rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay. “What?”

“I’ve known for a while that Drakos North America was not the answer to my life. It’s a big part of it. But it’s nothing compared to you. The acceptance you’ve given me, the trust you’ve placed in me—”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you,” I break in. “I wanted to do the right thing. To take my time and make sure I had the facts—”

“I know.” He cups my face in his hands. “I know, Juliette. You did the right thing and I pushed you away because of it. I hope you can forgive me. That you want me in your life just as much as I want you in mine.”

I stare at him, my heart thundering so loudly I can barely hear my own racing thoughts as a door opens to a future I never thought possible.

“Juliette?”

“Yes,” I whisper, “I want you.”

“Thank God.”

He wraps one arm around my waist and pulls me onto his lap. He crushes his lips to mine, then kisses my face, my neck.

“I pushed you away. I pushed so hard I was afraid I would never get you back. It hurt even more because I finally started to accept I was falling in love with you.”

“You love me?” I whisper.

---