The admission slices between us. He leans forward, resting his forehead against my knees, and I thread my fingers through his hair.
“I couldn’t live without you,” I say, barely above a breath. “If we lost everything because of him, because of something you did for me––”
He lifts his head, eyes storm-dark. “I wouldn’t regret it. Not for a second.”
I smile, broken. “That’s what terrifies me.”
We sit for a while, the weight of it all pressing down—not just the painting, not just the past, but the shadow of a man who doesn’t understand when to let go.
Alex stands and pulls out his phone. “I need Elias to get this thing out of my house.”
As he steps out of the room, I glance back at the painting one more time. The Unseen Queen. She’s still beautiful. Still haunting. But she doesn’t belong here. Not in this house. Not in my life.
Alex returns to the room, phone still in hand. “Elias is coming. He’ll take it to the dyslexia foundation for us.”
I nod. “That’s good. At least it’ll go toward something that helps people.”
He sinks onto the couch beside me, tugging me to his side. We sit in silence for a minute—no wedding spreadsheets, no Pinterest board. Just quiet.
“I hate what this is doing to you. And to us.”
He stares at the floor, not looking at me. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been. But I’m also angrier than I’ve ever been.”
“That’s what scares me.”
He lifts his face, meeting my eyes. “Tyson’s not just poking at me, Magnolia. He’s invading this—us. And every time I think it’s over, he finds a new way to sneak back in.”
I sit up straighter, tension rippling through my spine. “You think I don’t feel it too? Every time a shadow moves outside? Every time an unmarked envelope arrives? I think—what now? What’s he going to ruin this time?”
“I know.” His voice drops. “And I hate I can’t protect you from that.”
I take his hand in mine. “I need peace, and I can’t figure out how to get that. Not when we’ve done everything right—moved forward, made plans, built a life—and he still finds a way in.”
His jaw ticks. “Maybe it’s time we decide how this ends. Instead of waiting for him to make the next move.”
My heart stutters. “What are you thinking?”
He shakes his head. “I’m not sure yet, but we’re getting married soon. I want that day to be about us, not him. I want our future to be clean. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
I press my palm to his chest, right over the steady pound of his heart. His hand comes up to cover mine, firm and warm. “I’m going to take care of this, favorite.”
For a moment, I breathe again. We’re drawing a line.
But we both know it’s only a matter of time before Tyson McRae crosses it.
Chapter 12
Magnolia Steel
My phone buzzes on the countertop, screen lighting up with a familiar name and an even more familiar photo—Violet, grinning wide with a glass of red in one hand, and with the other, flipping off the camera.
So Violet.
I smile, and swipe right before the second ring. “Hey, stranger.”
“Well, well,” she says, her voice crackling through the speaker. “Still have all your hair, I see. I guess wedding planning hasn’t broken you yet. How’s that going?”
I let out a long exhale and lean my hip against the kitchen counter, cradling the phone so I can see her face better. “Fast and furious. Wedding planning is a beautiful tornado made of tulle and deadlines. A bit overwhelming.”
