More Than Words

The weight of Theo's kind of confession lingered between them, heavier than anything Evelyn had ever felt.

"I need you."

The words had settled deep in her chest, wrapping around something fragile inside her.

She should say something.

Anything.

But all she could do was stare at him, at the way his fingers still gently held hers, at the way his eyes—so guarded before—were now bare, open, filled with something she wasn't sure she was ready to name.

Finally, Theo exhaled, his grip loosening just slightly, as if giving her space to pull away.

She didn't.

Instead, she tightened her hold on his hand.

"Theo..." She hesitated. "What happens now?"

For the first time in her life, she saw uncertainty in his expression.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I know one thing."

Evelyn's pulse thrummed. "What?"

He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, slow and deliberate. "I'm not walking away again."

A shaky breath escaped her lips.

This wasn't the kind of confession that came with a neat, happy ending.

It wasn't simple.

But it was real.

And right now, that was enough.

She nodded, letting her fingers slip from his, the warmth of his touch lingering as she took a step back. "Then don't."

Something flickered in his gaze. Something uncharted.

For once, Theo didn't try to fill the silence with logic or distance.

He just let it be.

---

The Next Morning

Evelyn woke up feeling... different.

The pain in her side was still there, a dull reminder of how close she had come to not waking up at all.

But more than that—it was him.

The way his words had wrapped around her, still echoing in the quiet corners of her mind.

She was still trying to process everything when the door to her room creaked open.

She turned her head—and found Theo standing there, hands in his pockets, watching her with that unreadable expression of his.

Her heart skipped.

"You're awake."

"You're stating the obvious," she teased, trying to keep things light, but her voice betrayed her. It was too soft, too full of everything she wasn't saying.

Theo stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got shot."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "Not funny."

Evelyn sighed. "I'm fine, Theo."

His gaze flickered over her, like he was trying to assess if she was telling the truth.

Then, without a word, he walked over to the chair beside her bed and sat down.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Are you just going to sit there and stare at me?"

Theo leaned back, arms crossing over his chest. "Maybe."

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the way her pulse quickened.

Silence stretched between them. Not uncomfortable. Just... there.

Evelyn exhaled. "Theo—"

"You scared me."

The quiet admission caught her off guard.

She turned her head, meeting his gaze.

There it was again.

That raw honesty.

The kind of honesty Theo Bennett never gave away freely.

Evelyn swallowed hard. "I know."

Theo leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. "I kept thinking... what if I never got to say everything I wanted to say?"

Her breath caught.

Because she knew what he meant.

Even if the words remained unsaid, she knew.

She swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. "Then say it now."

Theo held her gaze for a long moment.

Then, slowly, he shook his head.

"Not yet."

Evelyn frowned. "Theo—"

"I'm not saying it in a hospital bed," he said quietly, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "You deserve better than that."

Evelyn's heart stuttered.

Theo Bennett had always been careful with his words.

So if he was choosing to wait—

That meant when he finally said it, it would be real. Undeniable.

She inhaled deeply. "Okay."

Theo's smirk softened. "Okay."

And just like that, something between them shifted.

---

Later That Day

Ethan and Liam were arguing over which takeout place to order from.

Evelyn sat on the couch, watching them, shaking her head. "You two fight like an old married couple."

Ethan scoffed. "I'm the reasonable one."

Liam rolled his eyes. "You literally ordered the worst sushi last time."

Evelyn sighed, about to interject—when she felt it.

The warmth of a hand brushing against hers.

Her breath hitched.

Theo.

He was sitting beside her, his hand resting casually on the couch—but his pinky had curled around hers, barely touching,but still there.

She glanced at him.

He didn't look at her.

But his fingers—his fingers stayed.

A quiet, unspoken acknowledgment.

Something only they knew.

Evelyn exhaled.

Maybe things weren't figured out yet.

Maybe they were still dancing around everything left unsaid.

But right now—

This was enough.

For now.

End of Chapter 35