Page 104 of Before Dawn

His thumb brushed over my knuckles, slow and deliberate. “That’s what my parents used to say. And my friends. They were the ones who kept me from losing myself and constantly defended me.” He paused, then glanced at me, something unreadable in his expression. “I don’t talk about this with people.”

I squeezed his hand. “I know.”

His lips parted slightly, as if he hadn’t expected that answer—as if he was still getting used to the fact that I saw him, really saw him, and wasn’t looking away.

“But with you,” he murmured after a beat, “it doesn’t feel hard.”

Heat stirred in my chest, something deep and real. This was trust. Maybe something even bigger than that.

A sudden streak of light caught my eye, and I looked up just in time to see a shooting star cut across the sky.

“Make a wish,” he whispered, his lips brushing my ear.

I turned toward him instead. “I don’t need to.”

His brows lifted slightly, like he was about to argue, but before he could, I just smiled. Then, closing my eyes anyway, I made a wish—one that had nothing to do with the stars and everything to do with the man beside me.

I wished this feeling would never,everend.

Chapter Twenty-three

Mikkel

“Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

~ Joan Crawford

Not every man got a chance like this—a chance with a woman who felt like a miracle from God made just for him.

Seeing her felt like stepping into a daydream, my heart practically sprouting yellow hearts above my head like some cosmic confirmation. She was it. The kind of woman who made me want to be better, who had me pining after her before I even knew her name. And that smile? It was blinding. Like catching the first sunrise after a lifetime of darkness. It wrecked me.

I wasn’t one to talk about the past. But with her, it just spilled out. It felt right. And when she reached for my hand—when she looked at me like I was worth seeing—I knew.

She wasn’t just a sign. She was the whole damn universealigning.

I had plans. Big ones. Dates that would make her laugh until she forgot the world. Because if anyone deserved happiness in abundance, it was her. And if I had any say in it, she was going to get it.

That woman—that brilliant, breathtaking force of nature?

She was Abigail-Ann Asher.My Red.

And whatever came next, I’d make damn sure she never had a reason to let go.

Yet here I was, in a city that wasn’t home, counting down the hours until I could get back to her.

As the car rolled up to the glass high-rise, I exhaled, restlessness settling deep in my chest. Chicago was fine—great, even—but home was wherever she was. And I needed to be there.

The buzz around the Elite Rides grand opening was palpable. The venue was polished, our branding bold and impossible to miss. Inside, the energy matched the chaos outside—everything falling into place. Or so I thought.

I stood at the entrance, frustration simmering as I took in the final touches. Staff moved swiftly, managing last-minute details while the first set of guests trickled in. Beside me, Morison straightened his tie, his sharp gaze catching the same imperfections I did.

“Everything looks good, sir?” he asked, eyeing me knowingly.

“Not yet,” I muttered. “The display needs adjusting, the banner is crooked, and the lighting’s too harsh.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll handle it.” He gave me a slight smile. “You won’t stop until it’s perfect, huh?”

I glanced at him, jaw tight. “Not until it’s exactly how I envisioned it.”

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