Page 320 of Savage Bosses

"And let me make one thing clear," I say, locking eyes with her. "I love Tahani. Our relationship is genuine, and I have no intention of leaving Iconic after a few months. This office will be my new headquarters for all of my acquisitions, so even when I work out of town, I will be back. I will always come back for Tahani.”

As Grace's eyes widen in surprise, I hear a shocked gasp from the doorway. I look up to see Tahani approaching.

“You’re going to live in Birmingham?” she asks, tears welling in her eyes.

I close the distance between us. "Tahani, I love you more than anything in this world, and I don’t care who knows. More importantly, I want to be close to you every moment possible, so yes, Birmingham is my new city.” I chuckle. “Wherever you are is my new city.”

Tears fill Tahani's dark brown eyes as she looks up at me. "Archer," she whispers, her voice muffled against my chest. "I love you too. I trust you. And I’m so glad you’ve decided to stay!"

I look into Tahani's eyes, those deep pools of brown that have captivated me from the moment we met. I can't wait any longer; I need to show her just how much she means to me, and I want Grace to see that our love is real.

"Grace," I say, my voice steady with conviction, "watch closely."

With that, I pull Tahani closer and capture her lips in a searing kiss. The world around us fades away as our mouths meld together, passion igniting between us like wildfire. Her arms tighten around me, fingers digging into my shoulders, and I feel her heart pounding in time with mine. This kiss is a declaration of our commitment to each other, no matter the societal expectations we defy.

"Archer," Tahani gasps when we finally break apart for air, her eyes wide with wonder. "That was... wow."

"Wow indeed," I agree, grinning at her flushed face. "I meant every word I said, Tahani. I'm not going anywhere. I’m staying in Birmingham with you."

She yelps. “That makes me so happy!”

"Is everything okay in here?" I glance over to see Ava standing in the doorway with questions in her eyes.

"Everything's more than okay, Ava," I reply, still holding Tahani close.

Ava's eyes fill with tears of joy as she takes us in. "I knew it! I'm so happy for you both," she says.

"Thank you, Ava," Tahani murmurs, resting her head on my chest. "We appreciate your support."

"Always," Ava promises.

I hold Tahani in my arms, our love solidified in front of Grace and with Ava's blessing. The sound of hushed whispers and hurried footsteps reaches my ears. I glance toward the door, finding Braedon, Regina, and Contessa standing there, their faces a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"What's going on?" Braedon asks, his brow furrowed in genuine worry.

"Is everything alright?" Regina adds, her eyes darting between Tahani and me.

"Everything is fine," I assure them, tightening my hold on Tahani as if to physically prove my point. "We've just… been through a lot."

Contessa steps forward, her gaze never leaving our entwined bodies. "On my first day back, you guys are heating things up in here. Is everyone okay?"

“We are.” My eyes flicker to Grace for a moment before returning to the concerned faces of my team. "Tahani and I have come to terms with our feelings. We feel we can be both committed to being in love and committed to making Iconic the best in the industry."

Shocked gasps can be heard clearly as the team comes to grips with my admission.

“In love?” Regina repeats.

“Yes.” Tahani's grip on me tightens, and she lifts her head to address the team. "Archer and I are stronger together than we could ever be apart."

“Mason is no longer a part of this company," I add, my voice on edge.

The room goes quiet as the team absorbs the weight of our words. They exchange glances before Braedon finally speaks up. "Well, if you two are sure about this, then we support you."

"Absolutely," Contessa agrees, her eyes softening. “You guys are growing on me, and so has the twelve-hour workday after so many days off.” She narrows her eyes at me.

"I'm implementing a new policy. No more twelve-hour work days. Everyone can leave after ten hours," I declare.

"Thank you," Contessa appreciates, her tone relieved. "I'm glad you're not pushing us too hard with those long hours."

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