Chapter 8
June’s eighteenth birthday arrived with a burst of joyous energy,
and the estate was transformed into a massive celebration.
Landon had spared absolutely no expense,
hiring a live band,
setting up a huge dance floor over the lawn,
and decorating the trees with thousands of twinkling fairy lights.
It was a stark contrast to the quiet,
fearful girl Mave had met two years ago,
the girl who hid in her room and jumped at loud noises.
Tonight,
June wore a stunning emerald dress,
her hair styled in elegant waves,
and she was laughing loudly with a group of friends from her school.
Mave stood on the terrace with a glass of champagne,
watching the vibrant scene below,
feeling a deep,
maternal pride swelling in her chest.
She had helped raise this girl,
she had held her through the nightmares,
and she had taught her how to stand tall in a world that had tried to break her.
Landon stepped out onto the terrace,
looking devastatingly handsome in a perfectly tailored tuxedo,
and he handed Mave a small plate of appetizers.
"She looks happy,"
Landon observed,
his eyes fixed on his sister as she spun around on the dance floor.
"She is radiant,"
Mave agreed,
taking a bite of a crostini and smiling at him.
"You gave her a beautiful life, Landon."
He shook his head slowly,
and he turned to look at Mave,
his expression serious and filled with absolute adoration.
"We gave her a beautiful life,"
he corrected her softly,
stepping closer to invade her personal space in the best possible way.
"She wouldn't be smiling like that if you hadn't stayed in the alley."
Mave blushed slightly,
and she looked down at her champagne glass,
still humbled by the massive impact of her one choice.
"It was the best decision I ever made,"
she whispered,
and she meant it with every fiber of her being.
The band struck up a slow,
romantic tune,
and the couples on the lawn began to pair off and sway to the music.
Landon reached out,
and he gently took the glass from her hand,
setting it down on the stone railing of the terrace.
"Dance with me,"
he requested,
though it sounded more like a desperate need than a simple question.
Mave stepped into his arms,
and he pulled her flush against his body,
resting one hand on the small of her back and holding her other hand near his chest.
They swayed slowly to the music,
ignoring the party happening below them,
existing entirely in a world built just for two.
He smelled like expensive cologne and fresh night air,
and she rested her head against his shoulder,
closing her eyes and letting the music wash over her.
"I never thought I could have this,"
Landon murmured into her ear,
his voice thick with emotion.
"Peace,
a family,
a woman who looks at me like I am a hero instead of a villain."
Mave lifted her head,
and she looked deeply into his dark eyes,
her heart beating a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
"You are my hero,"
she told him fiercely,
May you like
and she kissed him under the starlit sky,
sealing a promise that would last for the rest of their lives.
