My head tips up. “What? Like stalking?”
“No. Like watching something I want more of. Making sure she’s safe.” A small smile breaks across my features as he looks away again. “Sounds fucking stupid.”
“Come on.” I stand and dust the sand off my towel, starting to fold it up. This isn’t a conversation I can have lying on the beach.
“Just visit for longer if that's what you want,” he says. “Let it come and-”
“No, it’s not that I don’t want to, but ...”
He stops me forcing the towel into the backpack and holds my hands in his. All I can see is my own reflection in his mirrored sunglasses. I don’t even know why this has sent me spinning, but I wasn’t expecting this. In fact, I’ve doubted we’d ever get to have a normal relationship, and I’ve grown used to the idea that this weird arrangement was what Noah considered starting again. Maybe I’m even happy with that because having some part of him in my life is better than not at all.
“Neve. Stop. Talk. You’re the one who wants the words. I don’t need them. Never have.”
“Well, what about Murph? You didn’t answer last time I asked.”
“Is that it? We can talk about the Devil later.”
He puts his arm around me and starts to lead me off the beach. “Where are we going?”
“Leaving. You were packing, right?”
“Yes, but we were talking, and we haven't finished.”
“Have as far as I’m concerned, and I want a beer. And something to eat. And then we can head back to the apartment and work out what the deal with the devil is.”
“You hate Murph.”
“Yeah, but it seems like I love you more.”
My feet stop, regardless of him still walking. “You do?”
“Doesn't need a repeat, Neve.”
“I think maybe it does.” I swear he rolls his eyes at me behind his glasses. I don’t care. Words might not be his forte, but if he’s said them once, he can say them again.
He smirks and looks me over, making me blush, and then holds his hand out. “Don’t push it, princess. Maybe after the beer, you can hear it again.”
I place my hand in his and let him lead. Turns out, hearing Noah Locke tell me he loves me, even if it was in reference to my cat, is all that I need.
We’ve come through a torrent of pain, drama and anguish, and he’s still here. It’s time for me to grab hold of that and start living the life I want. We have a second chance, and I owe it to my family, to everyone, to make that count.
Epilogues
PERSEPHONE
“You ready?”
I raise my head and look him in the eye, and I’m struck by how easy the answer to that question is.After all, it could have been so different. It was a huge gamble to take on a man I thought was my enemy initially. I could have chosen to stay in London rather than leave or pushed him away when we found out we were, in fact, related, because both risked destroying us. But both of the decisions I've made – to fight for what I wanted – have led me to today.
“Yes, I am.” I smile as the butterflies flicker in my chest, and my feet want to get moving.
It’s been so fast – so encompassing, but standing here now, there are no regrets.
No doubts.
The bottom line is simple. I love him.
Scott changed as soon as we got to Paris. As if the rain clouds had finally cleared, and that gave him space to be the possessive, dirty, and beautiful man I’d only seen glimpses of all of the time.
