He raises uncharacteristically vulnerable eyes to mine as I run my fingers through his hair, savoring this tender moment. I know we still have a lot to discuss, but for the first time I feel real hope.
"Niko, I need to tell you something," I say gently. "About my marriage to Zack Kincaid."
He tenses beneath my touch but doesn't pull away. "What is it?" he asks, rising to his feet, his tone wary.
I take a deep breath. "It's been annulled. Legally, it's as if it never happened."
Niko's head snaps up, his eyes searching mine. "What? How?"
"When you threw me out, I went to find him. I wanted to try and make things right,” I admit, biting my bottom lip at the lingering hurt.
“Zack… has a lot of influence. Like you always say, money talks, and he was able to have the marriage effectively voided, as though it had never happened. The paperwork has all been signed and documented, and the lawyer I spoke to assured me this means my current marriage - our marriage - is legal."
I watch as understanding and disbelief war on Niko's face, followed quickly by relief. But then his brow furrows.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" he asks, almost breathless.
I quirk an eyebrow at him. “You didn’t exactly give me a lot of opportunity. And besides,” I drop my gaze from his, choosing my words carefully. "I wasn't sure how you'd react, or if it would even matter to you.”
His face scrunches like he’s in pain, but then he looks at me, his expression determined as he sweeps me into his arms, bridal style, and sits down on the only clear part of the couch, settling me on his knee. “That ends now,” he states, his tone brooking no argument. “I’ve been an asshole, I know, but now we’re talking through all this. Starting with why you thought it wouldn't matter to me," Niko says, his eyes intense as they search mine. "Did you really believe I wouldn't care?"
I sigh, resting my head against his shoulder and reveling in this normally forbidden closeness. "Honestly? You've been so distant, so cold, and then you were so angry. You told me to leave; told me you were done with me…” I trail off, struggling to put my feelings into words. "I thought maybe you'd see it as a convenient way out. That you could wash your hands of me, of us, without any legal complications."
Niko's arms tighten around me. “Never," he growls, his tone fierce. "What I said that night…” His voice catches, and he clears his throat. “I never meant for you to leave the safety of this compound. I just needed you out of my sight, because I was so damn angry…”
I search his face, and I believe him, I really do.
"I could never just wash my hands of you, Lyah. You're my wife, the mother of my child. You're..." he pauses, seeming to struggle with the words. "You're everything.” His admission sends a shiver through me. I've longed to hear those words for so long, but now that I have, I'm not sure how to respond.
"I know I haven't shown it," Niko continues, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on my arm. "But you mean more to me than I ever thought possible. Losing you made me realize…”
He takes a breath, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so vulnerable. “I love you, Lyah. I didn’t plan to, and I know that makes me sound like a dick, but it happened anyway.”
Happiness bursts inside my chest like fireworks. My heart soars at his words, a warmth spreading through me that I've never felt before. I cup his face in my hands, searching his eyes. "I love you too, Niko. I have for so long."
His lips crash into mine, the kiss desperate and hungry. When we finally break apart, both breathless, I can see the conflict in his eyes.
"I want to give you and our child the life you deserve," he says softly. "But I don't know if I can. This world I'm in, it's dangerous. Unpredictable."
I shake my head. “I know what this life entails, Niko. I don’t need false promises. I just need you. And I need you to be honest with me. To tell me your fears. To warn me if danger lurks on our doorstep. To treat me with respect, like a partner, not a possession. Can you do that?"
Niko's eyes search mine, his expression intense. "I can try," he says softly. "It won't happen overnight. I've spent so long keeping everyone at arm's length, building walls, I’ve become set in my ways. But for you and our child, I'll try my best."
I nod, the love I feel for this man overflowing. "That's all I ask. We'll figure it out together, and I’ll kick your ass if it looks like you’re slipping back into old habits," I tease, lightening the mood.
Niko chuckles, a rare sound that makes my heart skip. "I have no doubt you will," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I like this version of you.”
“I’m glad, because there’s no way I’m going back to the meek, submissive wife I used to be," I declare, my tone firm but playful.
Niko's eyes darken with desire. "Good. I prefer this fiery version of you.”
His hands roam my body as he captures my lips in another searing kiss. As much as I want to melt into him, I know we need to address everything else, so I pull back before things get out of hand.
Reluctantly, he allows it, and we sit in comfortable silence for a moment, both processing the monumental shift in our relationship.
Finally, he speaks again, his body tensing beneath me and his voice tight. “I know I should have asked this sooner, but what happened to cause you to be flailing around in the everglades with the concussion the doctor says you have?”
I take a deep breath, steeling myself to recount the harrowing experience. “I was in Miami after meeting with Zack on a nearby island.” I shake my head, trying to think back. “Honestly, I’m normally pretty self-aware, but I never got the impression I was being watched or followed… although I guess I was a little preoccupied with everything going on.”
