Page 140 of Before Dawn

I didn’t have the words yet, but I squeezed his hand.

And for now, that was enough.

Little by little, I let myself trust again.

Little by little, I came back to him.

After countless back-and-forths, moments of doubt, and waves of hesitation, I found myself standing outside Mikkel’s office.

No plan. No rehearsed speech.

Just my pulse pounding in my ears and my fingers trembling at my sides.

I almost turned back. Almost let the fear win.

But Dr. Green’s words surfaced in my mind.

“Fear is a habit, Abigail. So is self-protection. But love? Love is a choice. A scary one, sometimes. But if you want to heal, you have to let yourself choose it.”

I took a breath. Then another.

And I stepped forward.

The door wasslightly ajar, voices drifting from inside. Before I could second-guess myself, I pushed it open and walked in.

Mikkel, mid-sentence, froze.

His entire body went still.

“Gentlemen, meeting’s over,” he said immediately, voice sharp, commanding—final.

No hesitation. No second glances.

The men filed out silently, but Mikkel’s eyes never left me. Wide with surprise. Shadowed with confusion.

“What ar—?”

I didn’t let him finish.

I crossed the room, closed the space between us, and kissed him.

Raw. Desperate. Passionate.

The world blurred, leaving only his sharp inhale, the heat of his hands near my waist, and the unspoken words heavy between us.

When I pulled away, I rested my forehead against his.

“I was a mess,” I whispered, my voice steadier than I expected. “The past bled into the present, and it scared me. But none of that matters now.” I swallowed. “I’m here. I’m safe with you.”

His breath caught—just slightly. His hands flexed at his sides like he wanted to reach for me but didn’t know if he should.

Dr. Green’s voice echoed again. “You’ve been wired to expect disappointment. To prepare for abandonment. But Abigail, you have to let yourself believe in the love that stays.”

“But,” I continued softly, “you have to control the anger. You have to try. I know it’s not easy. I know you’ve never had to.”

His eyes darkened—not with defensiveness, but with something heavier.

I let my hands trail down his chest, grounding both of us. “I have my anxiety, Mikkel. You have your anger. But we can help each other. Let me help you the way you’ve helped me.”

---