Page 92 of Cowboy Bull's Promise

“And do you feel connected to him?”

I blink. “What do you?—”

“No. Enough dancing around. No more polite small talk. No more faking like this is normal.”

She slaps the table with her palm. “Look inside your damn heart, Arliss. Is Kian the one?”

I freeze.

Penny’s voice softens, and it’s like fire going warm.

“It scared the hell out of me when I met Max.”

Her eyes grow distant for a second, lips parting around the memory.

“I fell for him in seconds, and I’d been burned. Bad. So I get it. The fear. The walls. The voice that says it’s too soon, too dangerous. But I’m asking you to be brave right now. Not for us. Not even for him.” She steps closer.

“For you.” Her eyes burn holes into me, but she is relentless. “Do you love him?”

Her voice is quieter this time, but no less potent.

The world tilts.

My lungs stop working.

My throat dries.

I stall.

My eyes sting. I blink once.

Then again.

But the truth, the real truth?

It doesn’t need to be coaxed.

It just needs to be released.

“Yes.”

One word.

One syllable.

But it feels like I just cracked open my chest and let the universe peer inside.

Penny beams.

Victorious. Triumphant. Queen of Mates and Muffins.

“Good. Then we fight.”

“What?” I whisper.

“We fight for him. And for you. Because Kian is family. He’s Crew. And now, so are you.”

Avery steps beside her and claps a hand over her mouth, tears sparkling in her eyes.

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