Clara's POV
I kept sobbing in his arms for a while, then slowly pulled back.
"I'm sorry," I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely holding together. "I… I don't know what came over me."
"It's alright, my love," he murmured, stroking my hair gently. "You can cry as much as you want. I'll always be here to comfort you, alright?"
His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and a gentle heat spread through my chest.
"Don't worry, my love," he said, lifting my gaze to meet his silver eyes. "I'll make sure you never go back to that place again. This time, I promise… no one will take you away from me."
Then he kissed me. Slowly. Softly. At first, it was gentle, exploratory, like he was memorizing the taste and warmth of me. I felt the brush of his lips against mine, tender but full of longing, and my hands instinctively reached for him, tracing the line of his jaw and the strong slope of his shoulders.
