Kane POV
I wasn't sure Elena would stick with me after hearing the truth. Hell, I'd prepared myself for her to bolt, to reject me without hesitation. But when she didn't run—when she stayed, no matter how tense or quiet she was—it filled me with a relief I hadn't felt in years.
It gave me hope.
Hope that she was finally learning to love me back the way I loved her.
I had wanted to tell her so many times how much I loved her. The words lingered on the tip of my tongue every time we were together, but I always held back. Fear was a powerful thing. I was scared she'd think I was moving too fast, that the weight of my feelings would be too much for her.
But tonight, when she didn't reject me or pull away, it felt like maybe—just maybe—she loved me too, or at least, that she could.