I look around, taking in all the happy faces, and I wish I could be one of them. But I also ponder Ahren’s questions for a long moment. I don’t know how to answer him without breaking down. It hasn’t been long, but it feels as if a part of me has been torn from my chest. I lock my gaze on Ahren’s before I finally whisper the words I’ve hidden deep in my heart since his kiss, “Because he left me.”
“I could never leave you, even if I wanted to,” the familiar rumbled, yet husky growl comes from behind me, causing me to spin on my heel, leaving Ahren’s arms to find those iridescent blue eyes I’ve come to love.
“You’re here.” The words are whispered on a gasp, a breath of shock at him standing here, looking like a hero, a white knight. Dressed in a black tux that looks like it’s been tailored perfectly to his frame, a deep-red button-up, which eerily matches my dress, and a tie that shimmers, making it seem as if the night sky has been folded and bound into a knot just for him.
The corner of his mouth tilts upward, and I’m lost in the endless ocean pools that have captured me since the first time I saw them. He doesn’t speak, but his gaze holds me steady as if I’m a possession, and I suppose I am. Elian Donati owns me, and I’m okay with that.
“Thank you,” he says, looking over my shoulder at Ahren who bows out like a gentleman taking his leave. Then those blues are on my grays. “I should never have left you like that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“I had spilled blood. I lost control, and being around you would’ve just made it worse. I felt guilty for what I did.” It’s the first time that I see Elian unsure of himself. Granted, he’s talking about killing a man, but he did it to protect me.
“You thought I would judge you for saving my life?”
Fury blazes in his stare, and I wonder if he’s recalling the shitshow that went down. The asshole was stalking me, doing things with my underwear, putting fear into my mind. And Elian ended it, even though he started it.
“I’ll never apologize.”
“I didn’t ask you to,” I reply. “I needed you.” My admission causes my cheeks to heat, the blush burning along my skin down to my chest.
“I don’t like this dress,” Elian grunts, as he sways me along the dance floor to the song. “Too many men can see what’s mine.”
“Am I though?” I challenge him, locking my gaze on his. “Am I yours?”
“If you ever doubted it,” he tells me. “I’m here to show you that you have nothing to doubt.” His mouth crashes on mine, and I feel as if the whole senior year has stopped all movement and I’m the center of attention. Usually, I’d pull away and hide from the eyes on me, but right now, all I want is Elian to devour me whole.
There are stares from other students, whispers as we move through the crowd, but I don’t care. I no longer fear what people say or think about me and the choice I’ve made. And it seems Elian doesn’t either.
As the song fades into another, Elian laces his fingers with mine, and he leads me out into the sparkling night. Between the stars and the fairy lights that illuminate the path leading up to the entrance, we’re bathed in a soft, yellow glow.
Elian turns to me, his eyes shimmering as he regards me. “I will never in my life lie to you or hide anything from you again. I’ve lost you once. I’m not prepared to do it again.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning. “Are you trying to tell me I’m stuck with you, Mr. Donati?” The challenge in my words causes his eyes to glimmer with desire.
“Oh, that’s exactly what I’m telling my beloved little deviant.”
My mouth falls open, but I shut it quickly, almost as if I didn’t just hear what he said, but Elian’s more perceptive than that. With me, it’s as if he can read my mind.
“I love you, Arabella,” he confesses. “And I’m not prepared to ever watch you leave my life. Never again.” My heart skips multiple beats from his confession, but I’m grinning from ear to ear.
“Then you better be on your best behavior, Mr. Donati,” I tell him. “And don’t ever leave me.” This time, I snake my arms around his waist, tilting my head backward so I can look into those blue eyes. “I love you too, by the way,” I admit, my cheeks burning from embarrassment and nervousness.
“Then it seems we’re stuck with each other.” And he kisses me against the cool brick wall where nobody else can see us. He consumes me with everything he has, and I know tonight, he’ll once again make love to me.
And I welcome it—tonight, and for the rest of my nights well into the future.
Epilogue
Elian
Even though it’s not entirely the last day of classes, I’m here to collect my belongings. I’ve enjoyed saying goodbye to my students. From tomorrow, they’ll have a brand-new teacher to deal with. When I went to Dawson and asked him to allow me to resign, he did ask why, and I had to explain that I’d fallen for one of the students. I didn’t go into detail, but I have a feeling he knew who it was.
The whispers had been going around since prom, and I needed a new start with Arabella. Since she’s decided to go to England for university, I told her I’m not allowing her to go on her own. Which brings me back to the last afternoon I’ll ever be in this class. The door clicks, and I grin. Glancing to the left, I see Arabella walk toward me in her school uniform.
“Hello, Mr. Donati,” she greets
