Page 86 of Forbidden Bond

“You almost died,” I say, my voice hoarse.

Katherine’s gaze is steady. “I didn’t.”

“But you almost died. You had a bullet to your head right in front of me. You have no idea how fucking terrified I was, princess. I thought I would lose you.”

She grips my hand harder. “You didn’t. I’m fine, I promise. Just pregnant,” she murmurs.

“How did your dad take it?”

“He didn’t,” she admits. “He didn’t say a word about it. He was just relieved that I’m alive, I guess. He hugged me and told me he loved me, then apologized for fighting with me so much the past few weeks.”

I don’t know what to say to that. Katherine continues regardless.

“Topher, listen. He asked me to go to Paris with him. Just for a little while.”

Something icy slides up my veins at that.

“My mom and sister are worried sick. He didn’t tell them what happened to me until this morning. They want to fly back immediately, but they still have some things to take care of over there, so Dad said we should go.”

I’m really trying to be rational here but the only thing I’m hearing is that she wants to leave me. I let out a shaky breath.

“Do you have to go?”

She nods. “I promise I’ll come back.”

My hand tightens around hers. “Then why do I have this hollow feeling in my chest? Why does it feel like I’m losing you?”

“You would never lose me,” Katherine says sharply. “First off, there’s a little baby growing inside of me that belongs to us both. And also,” she whispers, “I love you, Topher D’Angelo.”

She lets out a soft breath as tears well up in her eyes. “You have no idea how many times I wanted to say those words in the past two days. I almost thought I’d never get to say it.”

My hand brushes her cheek, slowly, reverently. “Life used to be so easy before you came around. I was coasting through it without a care in the world. Everything was so simple.”

“I’m sorry I ruined that for you,” Katherine says dryly.

I roll my eyes. “Calm down, let me finish. I didn’t realize how empty it was. I wasn’t really living. There’s a difference between existing and living. You taught me how to live, princess. You made every single day worth it because I’d get to wake up and see your face. Even when we were pretending to be friends, a part of me has always known you’re it for me. Always will be.”

“That was a lot of words to tell me you love me,” Katherine says, smiling.

I’m kissing her in the next breath, unable to hold myself back anymore. “I love you, princess. Per sempre.” Forever.

She shifts to let me climb onto the hospital bed beside her. I hold her for as long as I can, trying to wipe the past few days from my mind.

“What if it changed me, killing Leeman?”

“It didn’t. You’re still the man I love. And don’t you dare think about feeling guilty. You did what you had to do. You saved us… all three of us.” Her hand grazes my cheek. “I see you, Topher. All of you.”

She kisses me again, harder this time. I try not to think of it as a farewell, but it’s pretty hard not to when she won’t be going home in my arms. I never thought I could love someone so much.

CHAPTER 27

Katherine

ONE MONTH LATER

Topher returns home and finds me leaning against the door of his condo. He stills in his steps, his eyes piercing into mine.

“Surprise,” I say on a laugh.

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