Chapter Twenty-Three : A Wake-Up Call

Dominic stepped inside Camille's house, feeling the warmth of it settle over him like a quiet reminder of what he had missed. The scent of coffee and something faintly sweet lingered in the air, mixing with the ocean breeze drifting through the open window. It was a home. A real home.

And for the first time in years, he wished it could be his too.

Camille stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. "Say what you came to say, Dominic."

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "I meant what I told Liam. I'm staying."

Her jaw tightened. "For how long?"

He knew what she was asking. How long before he got tired? How long before he left again?

"This isn't temporary," he said firmly. "I want to be in his life. In yours."

She let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. "You don't get to say that like it's simple."

"I know it's not simple, Camille," he said, stepping closer. "But I've spent too many years running from the things that mattered most. I won't do it again."

Her gaze wavered for a fraction of a second before she steeled herself. "And what happens when you get sick again? When things get hard?"

Dominic didn't flinch. "Then I'll fight. I'll fight for as long as I have to."

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she looked as if she might believe him. But the years had made her cautious.

"I can't—" She swallowed hard. "I can't go through that again."

"I'm not asking you to," Dominic said quietly. "I just want a chance. A chance to prove that I'm not the man who left."

Camille's fingers clenched at her sides, and he could see the battle waging inside her.

And then, before either of them could say anything more, the sound of feet pattering down the hall broke the tension.

Liam stood there, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What's going on?"

Dominic and Camille both turned toward him, caught in the weight of the moment.

And suddenly, Camille knew.

She knew that no matter how scared she was, no matter how much she wanted to protect herself—this wasn't just about her anymore.

Liam needed Dominic.

And maybe, just maybe, she did too.