“Where to now?” I asked as we stood outside his house.

“Well, if we want to be absolutely sure there’s no chance of you being left alone at any time, I know one place we can take you.”

I raised a brow. “Where?”

“Mum and Dad’s place.”

A breath got caught in my chest. Heather and Eugene had both been friendly to me recently, but I was still the woman who’d broken their son’s heart. I wasn’t sure they’d want me under their roof. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

He grimaced. “It’s the best we’ve got unless you want to go back to the cottage.”

“No, thanks.” A ripple of dread skated along my nerves at the thought that the stalker had been in my home while I was there. If they’d wanted to hurt me, I’d have been a sitting duck. I’d been completely oblivious while they’d pawed through my things and taken my most precious belongings in the world. How had I not heard or sensed that something was wrong?

“Let’s go, then.”

I offered Liam my keys. “Do you mind driving? I’m having trouble focusing.”

My mind was too busy conjuring all sorts of alternative scenarios and what-ifs.

“Of course.” He took the keys and kissed my forehead. “I know this is hard, but we’re going to find a way through.”

I really hoped so because I didn’t know how much longer I could keep going when I knew that someone might be watching me from the shadows. What if, next time, they opted for a more violent route? My stomach hardened. If that were to happen, I wouldn’t want to leave Liam wondering how I’d felt about him.

I touched his arm to stop him getting into the car and stretched up to kiss him. “I love you,” I told him. “I always have. Every beat of my heart has been for you since the first time we met.”

His eyes widened. He pocketed the keys and cupped my face between his palms. His eyes searched mine. I felt no fear that he wouldn’t reciprocate. I didn’t need him to. I loved him anyway. His gaze softened, and he captured my lips in a slow, toe-curling kiss. I smiled against his mouth.

When we separated, he spoke softly, his breath ghosting over my lips. “I’ve been terrified of opening my heart again, but when I dig deep, I don’t think I ever really shut you out of it. I love you too.”

My heart filled to the brim. Despite the horrible events of the past couple of hours, the tears that prickled in my eyes were happy ones. “Really?”

He nodded. “No more pushing you away or trying to pretend I don’t feel that way.”