Page 167 of Before Dawn

I took a deep breath, feeling his words settle over me.

“I’m right here with you, helping you through it, Red.”

My eyes burned with unshed tears. “Thank you for always being here.”

“Siempre,93” he replied, his voice reassuring. “I’m here to remind you that you’re enough, that you’re not defined by your past, and you’re stronger than you think.”

“I was reading the book you gave me…” I trailed off, unsure of what I wanted to say or where I was going with it. All I knew was that having him here—making his presence known despite being hours away—meant everything to me.

“Which one of them?”

“The Gifts of Imperfection.”

“There’s a section about embracing imperfections and accepting who you are instead of striving for perfection. It’s fitting.” His voice softened. “You’re perfect as you are, flaws and all, Red.”

His assistant’s voice broke in from the background. “Mr. Suarez, they’re starti-”

Mikkel looked around, then said, “I’m busy. All the mingling has to wait until I’m done. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I heard Morison say before I heard the door shut.

“Mikkel—” I started.

“No,” he interrupted. “You need me. I’m hours away, and if I have to miss a few minutes of the conference to make sure you feel even one percent better, then so be it. Youalwayscome first.”

We stayed on the phone for a while longer, Mikkel helping me through the unease by talking about the book, doing more grounding techniques, and reassuring me that it’s okay not to have everything figured out.

“Text me or call me if you need anything at all,” he insisted.

I smiled, feeling grateful. “Thank you for tonight.”

“Everything for you,amor,” he replied softly. “Always.”

Switching the phone off, I settled in to watchSay Anythinguntil dinner came, which was Chinese, and sleep called to me before it took over.

Chapter Thirty-eight

Mikkel

“Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.”

~ David Wilkerson

“Here’s the latest report, sir,” Sapphire said, sliding a thick folder across my desk.

I exhaled, rubbing a hand over my face. Exhaustion clung to me after back-to-back flights to Chicago, Seattle, Miami and Connecticut. But more than the travel, what really got to me was being away from Abigail, especially when I knew she needed me. Her anxiety had been high, and I wasn’t there to hold her, to ground her.

Shaking off the frustration, I flipped through the pages, scanning figures, deadlines, and client updates. Everything looked in order, until I reached the section markedSeattle Acquisition.

“The Seattle acquisition is becoming a bit tricky,” she continued, tapping the folder lightly with her pen. “There are some unexpectedcomplications with local zoning laws. We might face delays.”

My grip tightened on the edge of the desk, the words causing a knot to form in my stomach. Seattle. Of all the damn things to go wrong.

I wasn’t sure if it was the sound of her voice or the way the report laid out the issue so simply, but I felt my blood pressure rise. I was already aware of the stakes here—Seattle was crucial for our expansion, and delays would push everything back by months, maybe even years. I took a deep breath, resisting the urge to snap.

I reached into the drawer to pull out my stress ball. Squeezing it tight, I repeated the words in my head like a mantra:There’s nothing to explode over. I’ll fix it.

I let out a slow breath, focusing on my palm against the squishy rubber.

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