Page 82 of The Past

She took a breath, steadying herself.“It turns out Rory left me his half of Glenhaven.I offered it to my dad in exchange for his permission to marry ye and his agreement to leave Siobhan alone.”

I froze.

Her half of Glenhaven.

The land of her people.Her legacy.The very thing that could have been her future, her independence, her security and… she gave it up.

For me.

Fiona watched me closely, as if waiting for me to argue, to tell her she shouldn’t have done it.But I couldn’t.

Because she chose me.

Despite everything, despite her father, despite how impossible this all seemed—she’d chosen me.

The pressure in my chest built, emotion swelling thick and unsteady.My hands curled at my sides before I finally gave in and reached for her, pulling her into my arms.

She exhaled quietly, her body pressing against mine, her fingers curling into the fabric of my jacket like she wasn’t sure if she’d ever let go.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her as tightly as I dared, my chin resting against the crown of her head as I breathed her in, feeling the warmth of her, the weight of her.

She was here.

She was real.

“You’re really here,” I murmured into her hair.

She tilted her head back, her green eyes shining with something raw and unguarded.“I told ye, didn’t I?”Her voice wobbled, but her lips curved slightly.“Who knows what the future holds?”

I cupped her face, my thumbs brushing over the soft skin of her cheeks.“I know one thing.”

She blinked up at me.“What?”

I let a grin tug at my lips, my voice dropping low.“I’m never letting you go again.”

Her breath hitched, and then she rose onto her toes, pressing her lips to mine.

The world faded.The farm, the past, every struggle—it all disappeared as I kissed her, pouring everything I had into it.Every word I hadn’t spoken.Every fear, every longing, every goddamn mile that had separated us.

When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling in the cool morning air.“Welcome to Blackburn Farms, Mrs.Blackburn.”

She laughed, still catching her breath.“Not yet.”

I arched a brow.“Then we’ve got a wedding to plan.”

Her smile grew, the tension in her shoulders finally easing.

And for the first time in weeks, the weight in my chest lifted.

Because Fiona was here.

And she was mine.

Forever.

CHAPTER 29

Fiona

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