Nora's POV
James grasps my hand firmly, drawing me upward until I stand pressed against his solid frame. My arms wind around his neck as if they belong there, as if they never left.
Moisture gathers behind my lids and I let it fall freely.
"Don't shed tears for me, beautiful," his voice carries that familiar gentleness as his thumb catches a droplet on my cheek.
"I'm terrified this is some cruel dream." The words emerge strained and breathless while I press my face into the warmth of his chest. His arms encircle me completely, fingers threading through my hair with deliberate slowness. "I can't bear losing you a second time." Each syllable breaks apart, accompanied by quiet sobs. "I don't understand how you're standing here."
His palms frame my face, large and warm, tilting my head until our eyes meet. His mouth finds mine, lips claiming me with desperate intensity before our foreheads touch. "Dmitri wanted you to hear his words directly from me."
