I nodded. “He said yes… I thought you had found another, and although I hated the thought, I was happy that you were happy, Alexis. So, I decided to leave you be.”

Alexis sniffled. “Austin was a little baby then, and I must admit, I was happy. Motherhood gave me a certain type of happiness that can never be replicated, and I’m thankful for that. But, Owen, there was no other man. Except for that one stranger—Austin’s biological father. I got tested for everything while I was pregnant, then never touched another man again. There has been no one else.”

“I’ve been with no one since you, Lex.” She gasped, vigorously shaking her head, trying to refute my remark. “It’s true, baby. How could I ever touch another after the last time we made love?”

“Oh, Owen,” she cried, tears running down her face, which I wiped away. She tried to hide and burrow into my chest, but I didn’t let her. Then, Alexis came out with the most shocking statement. “Did you think Everly was me?”

Her unexpected question made me pause. From the connotation, I knew exactly what she meant. Only two people knew the truth. Me and—

“Fuck, you saw her?”

“Not on purpose. But she doesn’t matter. Tell me the truth, Owen. Did you call her by my name?” Familiar dread riddled my senses. Just by my expression, she got her answer. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it didn’t matter, Lex. You didn’t deserve that information to try and make the poison more palatable.”

The word “poison” grabbed her attention as her eyes widened in recognition as if the mention of it showed her everything I had gone through in the total sum of six letters.

Understanding coated her expression as her palms raised to circle my neck. Alexis pulled me down until her lips skimmed mine.

What is happening? Is this really happening?

“Your touch doesn’t feel like poison, Owen. Your touch feels like life—like you're injecting me with your past but healing me with your future. I want to go there with you. Will you build a future with me?”

Her declaration was a deafening siren that resonated through my system.

Our future.

I attacked. I devoured her mouth on a pained groan, and she gave me a gasp before returning in kind. Our lips shaped perfectly as our tongues met in a reminiscent dance of desperation. Lights imploded behind my eyes as a fire was ignited from deep within.

“Please, baby,” I whispered between us. “Don’t leave again. I don’t think I can take it if you up and leave me again.”

“No more running, Owen. I promise I never will again. I’m here for you, and I will stay and fight for you, like you have for me.”