Page 103 of Let's Be Forever

“See, I told you it was cold.” Sylas chuckles and peers over his shoulder, winking at me. “Come,meu bem.”

I’m blushing furiously, my stomach a mess of flutters. “I’m here.” I stand next to them and take more pictures than I ever have in my life.

We spend the next two hours going in and out of the water, walking along the shoreline, and playing with the sand until Rosie gets hungry.

Afterward we lay her down for her nap and sit outside on the sofa in front of the fire pit.

“I’m glad we came.” I nestle myself under his arm as he drapes it around my shoulders.

“I’m glad I listened to Matias.” Sylas smiles down at me and kisses my forehead. “Getting out of Boston was good for us.”

Guilt unravels in my stomach, making the food I ate earlier threaten to rise. I still haven’t told him about his parents. After we got out of the pool, we showered and went to bed. And thismorning, we were busy with Rosie. I didn’t want to bring it up and ruin the mood.

“It was…” I push away from his body and turn to face him. “Your parents came to see me last night.”

My words instantly kill the smile on his face. His jaw tics, eyes darken and harden, but his stoic expression lasts a fraction of a second before it softens and he’s hugging me.

“I’m so sorry,” he says.

“Don’t be.” I thread my fingers through his hair, gently raking it. I know he carries a lot of guilt over what they did, and he blames himself for breaking up with me. But I don’t hold that against him, especially after knowing what he was going through. I pull back, meeting his stare. “You’re not responsible for their actions.”

His gaze veers away from mine. His eyes are sullen, and his lips flatten in a tight line. “I’m not, but I should have cut them off a long time ago. I should have?—”

“And then what? Lose everything you worked so hard for?” I grab his hand, stroking the pad of my thumb over his knuckles. “Sylas, you didn’t do anything wrong. You did what you thought you needed to do.”

He sighs sharply. “What did they say?”

“They gave me a check.”

Indignation is etched deep on his face. I don’t have to explain why they gave it to me. He knows as if it’s something that has happened before. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“But I ripped it up and kicked them out,” I tell him. “They really want me to leave you.” My cheek twitches. I don’t mean to, but a laugh sputters out of me.

“What’s so funny?” he questions, confused, but then his lips are curling up.

“Your parents are so weird.” I don’t mean to laugh. I usually don’t because this is serious. His parents offered me more thanfive hundred grand to leave Boston, denied their granddaughter, and don’t care about their son’s mental health. I should not be laughing, but I can’t stop. “I’m sorry, I know?—”

I drop my head to his chest and he holds me. “So fucking weird,” he says around a laugh, though his words lack any real humor.

“This is like, straight out of a movie. Your parents need to take a break and touch some grass.”

He nods in agreement, chuckling. “I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

“I mean if they really wanted me to leave you, they should have at least offered me a million. I think it’s only fair,” I fervently state, looking up at him. “I bet they wouldn’t even notice it gone from their bank account.”

“Anna,” he starts, voice grim. “Know your self-worth. There’s two of you. A million for you and a million for Rosie.”

I click my tongue, humming pensively. “I hadn’t thought about that. You’re right.”

There is no trace of anger or resentment. He stares at me with an unwavering care. The tenderness in his eyes is so soft, so gentle, it has my heart beating madly for him.

“I never realized how dull my life was until you came into it.” Sylas tucks my hair behind my ear, his fingers brushing my earrings. “I didn’t realize how much I was missing. Before you, hockey was the only thing I looked forward to, but since you…I love you. I love you with every inch of me, and I will until I can’t any longer. Let’s be forever?”

Since he came back into my life, there’s been this gnawing worry of all that could go wrong between us. I didn’t mean to let the fear win, but I couldn’t help being nervous about the future with him.

Now, sitting here with him, the usual anxiety that resides is nowhere to be found. I feel safe, secure, and grounded.

“Let’s be forever,” I echo, leaning in to kiss him.