North’s POVLucien loved like a wounded animal.Desperately.Violently.Pathetically.And maybe that made me equally pathetic because, despite everything…I still loved him, too.Slowly, I pulled back enough to look at him properly.Those pale eyes searched mine anxiously, like he was waiting for judgment, waiting for punishment, waiting for confirmation that he ruined everything permanently this time.Instead, my hands lifted gently toward his face.“You look terrible,” I whispered softly.A broken laugh escaped him.“I probably deserve worse.”Emotion clogged my throat for a second before I finally said the words he had been starving to hear for so long.“I forgive you.”Lucien froze completely.Silence swallowed the foyer.Then, suddenly, his entire expression cracked apart with relief so overwhelming it almost looked painful physically. His eyes shut briefly while one shaky breath escaped him like he had been holding it inside for days.“You forgive me?” he repeated quietly, almos
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