Page 190 of Before Dawn

Carlos from Manhattan Helicopter Tours greeted us as we boarded. Moments later, we were strapped in and the helicopter lifted off, the city below shrinking to a miniature version of itself.

“Are you okay?”

I turned to him, heart swelling. “I’m completely in awe. You always make my dreams come true.”

He leaned in and kissed me passionately, igniting a fire deep within.

The first rays of sunlight painted the horizon in shades of pink and gold, and I marveled at the beauty. As the sun climbed higher, he snapped a picture of me against the sky.

“Now we can print this,” he murmured, “and remember it was taken right before dawn.”

A thousand thoughts swirled in my mind, but one stood clear—I never wanted to leave his side.

As the city lights sharpened during our descent, the thud of the landing gear grounded me. The moment we stepped off the plane, dewy morning air wrapped around us, and Mikkel’s steady grip in my hand reminded me I was exactly where I belonged.

I turned to him, my voice soft. “With you, it’s like everything I’ve ever hoped for.”

His fingers tightened around mine. “I’ll make sure you always feel that way.”

“You already do.”

Settling into the car, warmth bloomed in my chest. I snapped a picture—my hand resting on his cheek as he kissed me. With trembling fingers, I set it as my wallpaper, determined to hold onto the magic of this morning.

We stopped for breakfast at Balthazar, a cozy SoHo spot known for its French pastries and eggs Benedict. By the time we returned to the penthouse, exhaustion had settled deep in my bones.

Stepping inside, we were greeted with warm smiles from Valeria and Manuel. Mikkel, still carrying the faint trace of a smile, grabbed some cherries from the fridge before turning to his parents. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

“Val and I have some business to handle,hijo,136” Manuel replied.

Mikkel raised an eyebrow. “That’s why you came to New York? For business?”

Valeria smiled fondly. “Not exactly. We came because we missed you and Emilia, though she’s out of town. And, of course, to meet Abigail.”

I smiled, touched by her words. “That means a lot to hear. How long are you staying?”

“Five days. We’ll have to head back to California after that, because there’s always something waiting for us.”

I nodded. “I can only imagine.”

Valeria glanced at her phone, sighing softly. “Looks like our ride is downstairs, Manuel.Vámonos!137”

Manuel stood, smiling. “Always in a hurry,mi vida,138” he teased, his eyes filled with fondness as he turned to her.

Valeria walked over to Mikkel, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

“Have a good day,mis amores,139” she said, before turning to me and kissing my cheek as well.

Manuel followed suit. “We’ll be back in a fewhours.”

As the door closed behind them, a soft thud echoed, but the love lingered. Heading upstairs, I sighed, the exhaustion fading when I turned to him.

“Can you clear your schedule for a week?”

Without hesitation, Mikkel took my hand, his expression serious. “I’ll have it done tomorrow morning.”

I smiled softly. “You didn’t even ask why.”

He shrugged with a grin. “I don’t need to. You want me to clear my schedule? Done. No questions, no hesitation.”

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