I hesitated, and he stepped closer.
“You’re not walking away from me over one fight.”
“It’s not just this one stupid fight, Theo,” I said, staring him down. “You’re not listening to me. It’s all of them stacked up. It’s the pattern.”
“And you think I don’t see that?” he snapped. His voice cracked, just slightly.
I didn’t speak.
“But you’re still wearingmyring,” he continued.
I didn’t move.
He took a step forward. “That means you haven’t made up your mind.”
Another step.
“And until you do.”
Another step.
“You’re mine.”
I let out a slow, shaking breath. “That’s not how this works.”
“That’s exactly how this works.” His voice dropped to a growl. “You said yes. And I’m not letting that go until you look me in the eye and say you’re done. Tell me you lied when you promised me forever.”
The room went quiet.
I looked down at the ring on my hand. My fingers trembled.
“You don’t get to use this to guilt me.”
Theo’s jaw tightened. “I’m not using it to guilt you. I’m using it to remind you that you chose me. You said yes.”
“That was before I knew you went behind my back.”
“You think I don’t regret that? You think I don’t hate the way this turned out? But I did it because I thought—no, I hoped you’d choose to stay here. With me. Not looking for an exit every time things get hard.”
“I’m not looking for an exit,” I hissed. “I’m looking for a real fucking partner.”
He stepped closer. His breath shuddered, nostrils flaring. “I am your partner. You have no idea what it’s like to love somebody the way I love you. It’s not rational. It’s not—” He stopped himself and raked his hands through his hair. “It’s not gentle. I’m losing my mind over you. I spent years without you,and it gutted me. I finally got you back in my arms, and you’re already halfway out the door.”
“You’re pushing me there.”
His mouth crashed down on mine before I could say another word.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t tender. It was desperate and angry and so full of pain I tasted it on his tongue. His hands fisted in my hair, and my fingers dug into his chest as I kissed him back. He pulled back just long enough to press his forehead to mine. His thumb stroked my cheek.
“I hate when we do this,” he breathed into my mouth. “But I’d rather fight with you for the rest of my life than go one more goddamn day without you.”
He kissed me again, slower this time. But no less intense. I whimpered into his kiss, tugging at his shirt. That made him lift me off my feet with ease and pressed me into the wall, trying to sink into me.
And I didn’t stop him. I didn’t even stop him when the kissing became feverish.
He carried me down the hall, his grip firm beneath my thighs, his mouth never leaving mine. He crashed through the bedroom door, too wrapped up in me to bother being gentle.
Aggressively, he dropped me on the bed and stood over me.
