Dante took one slow step closer, his height casting a warm shadow over her. "Yes. All of us," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You. Me. Lucien. Sable. We are a family now, Alina. And I want your family to meet us properly."
Her heart thudded so loudly she felt it in her fingertips. She covered her mouth with her hand as emotions rushed through her all at once, shock, tenderness, disbelief, and a happiness so deep it made her eyes sting.
We are a family.
His words echoed in her mind like something holy, something she wasn't prepared for but desperately needed. Before she could think twice, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face lightly against his chest. Dante froze for a moment, caught off guard, but then his large hands came up to rest gently on her back, holding her as if she were something precious.
"Okay…" Alina whispered, her voice trembling. "I'll stay here for a few days. But right now, can we go to my home? I really need to change."
