The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 425

I wasn’t sure how much time passed before I heard the knock.

Mia glanced at me. I sat up.

The door opened and Callum stepped inside. The first thing I did was look at his face to see where we stood. He looked calmer than when he’d walked away, but not entirely settled. He glanced at Mia and Zane.

“Could you give us a minute?” he asked.

Zane was already on his feet, grabbing his jacket. Mia squeezed my hand on her way past. The door clicked shut behind them, and then it was just us.

Callum sat down on the edge of the bed next to me. He looked at the floor for a moment before he looked at me.

“I’m not angry with you,” he said.

I waited.

“I’m angry with myself.” He held my gaze. “Every time you tried to tell me something was wrong, every time you tried to show me who Bianca really was, I chose her anyway. Over and over.” His jaw shifted. “You were standing right in front of me the whole time and I kept looking the other way. No wonder you were hesitant about telling me the truth.”

He loosed a long breath. “I understand why you waited. I just wish I had given you a reason to do it sooner.”

I pressed my lips together and looked at my hands.

“There’s only one thing I need from you,” he said. His voice was quieter now. “I told you I loved you and I meant it. I’ve never said it to anyone before you and I don’t plan to say it to anyone after.” He paused. “But if this is going to mean anything, I need to know that you feel the same way. I think you do. I think you have for a long time. But I need to hear you say it.”

The room was silent.

“I love you,” I said.

It came out easier than I expected. Almost embarrassingly so. Like it had been waiting right there the whole time and all it needed was the right moment and a little push from Zane through a cracked motel door.

Callum’s smile widened slowly. He reached over and took my face in his hands, tilting it up toward his, and when he kissed me it was warm and certain and slow, the kind of kiss that lingered in the best way and made something start to form in my low belly.

Finally, when we both ran out of air, he pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against mine.

“My princess,” he whispered. His steely eyes met mine, shimmering with those blue flecks. His thumbs traced over my cheekbones. “My love.”

I smiled and threw my arms around his neck. “My prince,” I whispered. And then we were both falling back against the motel mattress in a tangle of limbs and tongues.