Caroline’s POV
We stepped into Ryan’s guest room. The door closed, and Draven immediately pulled me into his arms, holding me so tightly I could barely breathe—but I didn’t mind.
He pulled back slightly to look into my eyes.
"My love,I’ve missed you so much," he whispered.
I couldn’t control myself, standing on tiptoe to kiss his lips. How I missed him! I sighed when I broke the kiss and looked into his violet eyes.
"What am I going to do with you?" It was more of a rhetorical question. Inside,I was torn between throwing myself into his arms and keeping some distance after everything we’d been through.
"You know I’m yours. And you know you’re mine. How long are we going to keep suffering? It’s your decision, my love. But I won’t give up on you," he whispered these words in my ear and kissed behind my earlobe, making me shiver all over.
"I can get down on my knees, I can crawl if you prefer, I’ll do anything you want to make you understand how sorry I am for being such a jerk and how much I regret it. I love you, Caroline. I messed everything up, but I want you back, and I won’t give up."
Draven held me as we sat on the bed. I looked into his eyes, and it was impossible to resist. He was truly sorry and suffering, just like me. I placed my hands on his face and pulled him closer, closed my eyes and breathed in his delicious cedarwood and musky scent. It was captivating, warm and seductive.
Draven didn’t move or pull me in for a kiss. He just let me decide what I wanted. That was even more powerful than kissing me. I couldn’t let him go.
I pressed my lips to his, feeling their warmth as our mouths met. I ran my tongue over his lips, tasting him. He gasped and I slipped my tongue into his mouth. I pulled at his hair and deepened our kiss. He kissed me back passionately but kept his hands still, letting me control the pace. The more I kissed him, the more I knew I belonged here. Our tongues moved together, hot and needy. This kiss said everything we couldn’t put into words.
My body was on fire and yearning for his touch, but he wouldn’t touch me. So as I kissed him, I sat sideways on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, letting him know I was his and couldn’t bear to stay away any longer. Only then did he wrap his arms around me, one hand on my neck, deepening our kiss even further.
When we pulled apart, we were completely breathless, but I couldn’t stop gazing into his eyes. They were shining like two violet beacons. I couldn’t live without him anymore.
"I guess this means you’ve forgiven me," he said with that dazzling smile that fascinated me.
"This means I can’t live without you, that I will forgive you, but you still have some explaining to do. Starting with Liz," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the jealousy that flared up at the mention of her name.
Draven’s expression darkened. "Nothing happened with Liz, I swear it. I passed out that night—just like what happened with Ella. I’m certain Liz and Linda were working together to set me up. When I woke up..." He shook his head in frustration. "I should have told you everything about my plan from the beginning. I was trying to protect you, but I ended up hurting you instead."
I nodded slowly, absorbing his words. "I believe you."
He cupped my face gently. "When you disappeared, I thought I’d lost you forever. I went crazy looking for you. Every minute, every second without you was torture. I kept thinking about how I should have trusted you more, told you everything."
"I was planning to leave for good," I admitted softly. "I had decided to quit my job, move away... I thought a clean break would be best for both of us." I looked down at my stomach, thinking of our growing baby. "I was going to raise both children on my own."
"And now?" Draven asked, his voice barely a whisper, his eyes full of hope and fear.
"And now fate seems to have other plans for us," I said with a small smile. "Just when I’d made up my mind to walk away from you forever, I discover you’re Liam’s father. You’re the man I’ve been dreaming about for three years."
"I have been searching for you, my mate, for so long. I won’t let you go again."
I responded, "I waited too long to be together. No more running."
"You’re coming back to me?" Draven asked, his eyes shining with hope.
"Yes, after you properly explain everything that’s been going on and end all these games once and for all. I don’t want any hussies trying to take what’s mine ever again." I traced his jawline with my finger. "But you’re not fully forgiven yet."
"Consider all games ended. I’ll do whatever you want," he smiled like a child receiving a long-awaited gift. "What I can’t do is be without you, I can’t stand it. I love you, Caroline!"
"I shouldn’t, but I love you too, Draven."
He pulled me closer, and I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling our heartbeats synchronize.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over me.
"Draven, I’m feeling sleepy," I looked at him.
"Yes, dear, it’s the effect of the medicine. You’ll sleep for a while. We’ll continue talking when you wake up, and I’ll bring Liam here," Draven said softly. I closed my eyes, surrendering to sleep.