My eyes flutter open, still heavy with exhaustion. And then I see Vic kneeling in front of me, looking devastatingly handsome and visibly wracked with guilt.

I sit up, heart pounding, mind spinning, and trying to make sense of the moment.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” My voice is groggy, thick with sleep.

He shakes his head. “No. I left the moment I saw all that bullshit online.” He says, clenching his jaw. “I’m sorry, Kerry. I should’ve protected you from this mess. I had no idea Krista would do something like that.”

I exhale, rubbing my temples as the sting of the day settles in. “I can handle that woman, what I can’t handle is how she made Ari feel today.”

His expression darkens, and protective instincts roar back to the surface. “I already told the showrunner one more strike, and I’m done. I don’t care how many followers she has or what kind of buzz she brings. She’s not the type of person I want in my life. I don’t like her, and I want you to know that.”

His voice is firm and absolute. But it’s not just what he says—it’s the way his hand drifts up to cup my cheek, the way his fingers, strong yet gentle, anchor me. Even through the wine fogging my brain, it feels like he’s pulling me back from the chaos, reminding me I’m always safe with him.

My eyes flutter shut, and before I can stop myself, the truth slips out. “I missed you, Vic.” My voice is softer now, quieter. “I was about to cry reading all those god-awful things.”

He doesn’t hesitate. He moves in, close enough that I can feel his breath against my lips, close enough that if I leaned just a little, we’d be kissing. But we don’t. Instead, he presses his forehead to mine, exhaling like he’s been holding something in all day.

“I missed you too, Kerry. I always do. Every moment I’m away from you.”

His words send a slow, sweet ache through me. I smile, too tipsy to think about the implications and too content to care. I wrap my arms around his neck and then pull our bodies torturously close.

“Good. Now carry me to my chambers, Mr. Grimes.”

He lets out a deep laugh, shaking his head. “My pleasure, lightweight.”

Effortlessly, he lifts me into his arms, cradling me against his chest like I weigh nothing. His warmth, his strength, the way I feel so wanted—it’s almost too much. But just as my heart starts betraying me, he leans in, brushing a kiss against my cheek before whispering the final blow.

“Let Krista talk. She’ll never be you. And you are all I want.”