Seth stayed silent even as he trembled with helpless fury. He wished he could turn back time and protect her from all harm, but that wouldn’t be right. She was who she was because of her past. What he needed to do was listen, and stand by her as she healed.

“The thing that tortured me most was that I’d lost myself so completely. I thought love was the destructive force that broke me. That’s why I was so frightened when you told me you loved me, because I knew I loved you, too. All I could think was that I didn’t want to go back to being that broken person. Or become a monster who breaks you.” Her voice cracked, but she continued with renewed strength, “But now I finally understand that it was the malice and the toxicity that made me lose myself. That’s the nature of abuse, not love. I won’t hide in shame and fear anymore. I survived soul-destroying abuse, and that’s a testament to my strength. I was so wrong to fear love. My love for you only makes me stronger, and it will never make me hurt you the way I’ve been hurt.”

“Tara, you are amazing—smart, kind, and so strong. Never doubt that.” Seth rejoiced in her admission of love, but more than anything, he was so fucking proud of her.

“Do you forgive me? For breaking your heart. For lying to you. Because it was the biggest lie I ever told. How can I not love you?” She shifted to sit beside him and hesitantly gathered his hand between her own. “I love you so much that I can’t even contain it inside me. Now that I’ve told you … told you that I love you, I can finally breathe. And I don’t ever want to stop saying it.”

He cupped her cheek with his free hand. “There’s nothing to forgive. I knew in my soul that you loved me. Like you said, you couldn’t contain it. You loved me with your every glance and touch. I felt it. It was dense of me to take so long to realize that we were in love. I should’ve known I loved you. You filled me with joy and yearning every time I saw you, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you when we were apart.”

“Do you still love me?” Tara’s eyes searched his as if she was looking for the very meaning of life.

“So much,” he whispered. “Tara, I love you now and forever. And I’m never letting you go again.”

Tara threw her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. “You won’t get a chance. I might lock you in the bedroom and throw away the key.”

“Ooh, kinky. I have no objections to that.” His smile was tremulous, but his heart was singing.

“We don’t have to … I’m not sure … can we talk first?” she said shyly into his neck.

He chuckled low in his chest, and kissed the top of her head. “Of course, baby. As long as you want. I was only teasing.”