So instead I make soup, Simple, light and something warm.

The entire time I cook, my thoughts drift upstairs toward Zane, toward the fact that he’s alive....Actually alive, here and breathing.

I still can’t fully process how close I came to losing him.

By the time I carry the tray upstairs later, the house has settled into an eerie quiet outside the occasional footsteps of security downstairs.

Zane looks half asleep when I walk back into the room but his eyes immediately open when he sees me.

"There’s my nurse."

I place the tray down carefully.

"If you call me nurse again, I’m charging you hospital fees."

"Can I pay in compliments?"

"No."

"In kisses?"

I try not to smile and fail miserably.

"Eat your soup."

He obeys surprisingly easily, though mostly because I sit beside him while he eats. At some point, his fingers curl loosely around my wrist, absentminded and it’s comforting.

When he finishes, I take the bowl away and settle beside him again.

For a while neither of us talks, the silence between us feels softer today.

Then suddenly his fingers tilt my chin toward him gently.

"You should sleep too," he murmurs.

"I slept."

"On top of me like a starfish."

"That’s a lie."

"You drool and assault people in your sleep."

I narrow my eyes.

"You’re incredibly annoying for someone recovering from surgery."

"And yet you’re still here."

Something softer enters his expression when he says it, something warm enough to make my chest ache a little and before I can respond, he leans closer slowly and kisses me, gently this time. Nothing franti or desperate, jst warm lips against mine.

Relief and comfort surges through me as I kiss him back immediately, my fingers sliding lightly into his hair as he hums softly against my mouth before deepening the kiss slightly and slighty slightly more....until his hand slides to my waist and suddenly the air shifts completely. Y

My heartbeat stumbles.

"Zane," I whisper against his lips.

"Hm?"

"You’re injured...we can’t..we shouldn’t."

"Minor inconvenience."

I pull back just enough to glare at him.

"You literally got shot yesterday."

"Yeahhh not on my dick though..:you look hot as fuck right now and I want to fuck the brains out of you."

I snort softly despite the heat crawling into my cheeks as his thumb brushes lightly across my jaw..j

"You’re beautiful," he murmurs.

The sincerity in his voice catches me off guard for a second. Then his gaze drops briefly to my lips again.

Oh no.

I immediately place a hand against his chest before this can go further.

"Absolutely not."

A look of deep offense crosses his face.

"Cruel woman."

"You need rest....plenty of it thoo."

"I can multitask.

"You can barely even stand."

"That sounds judgmental."

I laugh before leaning down and pressing one quick kiss against his forehead.

"Behave and I’ll decide if I’ll ride you." I warn him softly.

He sighs dramatically.

"For now"

———

The room settles into silence again after my words...no more sad story tonight.

For the first time since the attack, I see something ease in Zane’s face. The grief is still ther and the sadness pain too. But the sharpness in his eyes softens slightly as he studies me lying beside him.

"You sure about that?" he asks quietly.

I nod.

"If I think too hard right now, I’m going to lose my mind."

His hand slides gently over my waist beneath my shirt.

"You won’t."

"You sound very confident for someone who almost died two days ag.

A tired smirk touches his lips.

"I’m talented."

I snort softly.

"You’re ridiculous."

"And yet here you are....madly in love with me."

His voice lowers slightly when he says it.The look in his eyes makes warmth spread slowly through my chest. I shift closer carefully, mindful of his injuries. Even now I’m terrified of hurting him accidentally. Every little wince he makes sends panic rushing through me before I can stop it.

Zane notices me hesitating.

"You keep looking at me like I’m made of glass," he murmurs.

"That’s because you literally have stitches holding you together."

"I’ve survived worse."

"Not helping."

His fingers curl lightly beneath my chin, tilting my face toward his.

"I’m here."

I swallow thickly and look away before my emotions betray me again.

"No crying," I mutter to myself.

A quiet laugh leaves him.

"Talking to yourself now?"

"Trying to."

His thumb brushes beneath my eye gently.

"You’ve cried enough for a lifetime these past few days."

The tenderness in his voice almost undoes me anyway so I distract myself quickly by glaring at him instead.

"You scared me."

"I noticed."

"You got shot and still tried acting tough."

"I was tough."

"You almost passed out in the hallway."

"That’s called dramatic effect."

I stare at him for a long second before laughing despite myself...a real laugh this time.

The sound seems to affect him too because his expression changes slightly. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"There she is," he murmurs.

"What?"

"That laugh."

My smile fades a little at the sincerity in his voice.

"You make it sound rare."

"It is lately."

That quiet honesty settles between us..Neither of us says anything for a moment.

The rain outside grows heavier, tapping steadily against the windows while distant thunder rolls somewhere far away. The room feels insulated from the rest of the world. Like nothing else exists outside these walls for a little while.And honestly? I need that.

I need one moment where nobody’s bleeding, noobody’s dyin and Nobody’s pointing guns at us.

I curl closer against him carefully, resting my head against his chest. His heartbeat thumps steadily beneath my ear as his fingers drift absently through my hair.

"You should sleep," he murmurs after a while.

"You first."

"I was shot. I automatically win this argument."

I smile faintly against his chest.

"That’s manipulative."

"It’s effective though."

I tilt my head slightly to look up at him.

"You know what’s weird?"

"Hm?"

"I genuinely thought I hated you when we first met."

One dark brow lifts.

"Hate is a strong word."

"You weren’t exactly likable."

"I protected you."

"You threatened people constantly."

"They usually deserved it."

"You were bossy."

"I still am."

"That part is true."

His chest shakes lightly beneath my cheek with quiet laughter.

"You weren’t exactly easy either," he points out -and j gasp dramatically.

"I’m delightful."

"You tried to kill me once."

"You deserved that too."

A grin slowly spreads across his face now.

God . I missed seeing him smile.

My fingers trace lightly across his arm.

"I thought you were terrifying."

"I am terrifying."

"Yeaaaa kinda. You re a big softie,"

His eyes narrow immediately.

"That information is supposed to die with you."

That sends me into another laugh and this time he smiles properly watching me.

Just watching me like maybe hearing me laugh again matters more than he expected.

The warmth in my chest deepens painfully.

"I love you," I say quietly before I can overthink it.

The words slip out naturally this time and Zan stills beneath me , completely and for one tiny second he almost looks surprised.

Then his hand moves gently against my back.

"Say it again my little spit fire."

A smile pulls at my lips.

"Needy much?."

"Very."

I lift myself slightly so I can look at him properly.

"I love you Zane."

His eyes hold mine steadily as some thing vulnerable flashes there so quickly I almost miss it.

Then he exhales softly.

"Yeah," he murmurs. "I’m definitely never surviving you."

I grin.

"You’re obsessed with me."

"Unfortunately."

I poke lightly at his chest.

"You’re admitting it now."

"I got shot. Near-death experiences change people."

"You’re so dramatic."

"And you love it."

Honestly? Maybe I do.

The thought makes my smile soften.

Zane brushes his fingers along my jaw slowly before leaning in and kissing me again

This one feels different from earlier.

His lips move gently against mine, warm and familiar and grounding all at once. I kiss him back slowly, my fingers sliding into his hair.

The world outside the room disappears for a while...Just him and me.

His hand settles against my waist while mine rests lightly against his chest, careful of the bandages beneath his shirt. When the kiss deepens slightly, I feel him hesitate almost immediately because of his injuries and I pull back just enough to smile faintly.

"See? Your body literally told you to behave."

A low groan leaves him.

"You ruin all my fun."

"You’re welcome."

"You’re enjoying this power too much."

"Absolutely."

His eyes narrow suspiciously.

"You’ve become dangerous."

"I learned from you."

you."

"You can’t kiss me like that and then just stop," he murmurs tiredly.

I laugh quietly, brushing my fingers through his dark hair.

"You were shot love. You can’t strain yourself."

"That doesn’t mean I suddenly stopped being attracted to my wife."

Heat crawls into my cheeks instantly.

He notices too, smirking faintly despite how exhausted he looks

"Dangerous woman," he mutters. "You turn me on and then act innocent."

I shake my head, smiling despite myself before pressing one soft kiss to his lips then I get from bed tying my heir back...I squat infront of him...hiz eyes immediately light up knowing what I’m about to do.