Christian’s Pov

I expected her to pull away.

After everything I had told her in the study, after the records and the truth about the seven women and the curse, I thought she would need space. Most people would have. Anyone with sense would have looked at the weight I carried and stepped back before it could fall on them too.

Jennifer did not.

She stayed in my arms for a long moment, then lifted her head. There was still frustration in her eyes, but underneath it was something firm and unshaken.

“I am not leaving,” she said.

The words hit me harder than I expected.

“You understand what I...