9.

Belle

I watch Arcade as he stands by the window, his broad back rigid with tension. His words hang in the air like a death sentence, final and cold. My heart aches, knowing that I've messed up.

I slip out of bed and wrap my arms around him from behind, pressing my cheek against the warmth of his back. "Please," I murmur, my voice trembling. "I beg you to reconsider for my sake."

He doesn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on his beloved swamp. He's such a stubborn man, hard and difficult and set in his ways.

I tighten my hold, feeling the muscles beneath his skin, the strength that I've come to love. "The company is your legacy," I continue softly. "It needs you. It will crumble if you don't come back. Everyone always says how talented you were, how sharp…it thrived when you were a part of it."

He tenses even more, but I press on, my voice a desperate plea. "And it's part of my legacy too," I say, my voice cracking. "My grandfather was one of the original founders. The company means everything to my family, to me."

He turns slightly, his eyes searching mine. There's a conflict there, a war between the life he's chosen and the pull of duty, of loyalty. When he begins to speak, his voice is rough with emotion, "I don't want to be torn from the bayou. This is my home. But I don't want to lose you."

His words make my heart skip a beat, hope blooming in my chest. "You don't have to lose either," I whisper. "We can find a way to make it work. Together."

He looks at me for a long moment, the silence stretching between us. Then, finally, he pulls me closer, his lips crashing down on mine in a passionate kiss. It's a kiss filled with everything he can't put into words—his desire, his conflict, his surrender. His sacrifice.

I melt into him, my arms wrapping around his neck as I pour all my love, all my desperation into that kiss. When he finally pulls back, his eyes are dark with determination. "For you, I'll reconsider. But only for you," he says his voice low and rough and then he lets out a curse. "Fuck—do you have me wrapped around your finger."

A relieved laugh escapes me, tears of gratitude and love welling up in my eyes."I'll make it worth it, I promise," I whisper, kissing him again, softly this time.

He nods, his hands cradling my face as he looks into my eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy. But the bayou… it's still a part of me. I can't give it up completely."

"You don't have to," I assure him, my heart swelling with love for this rough, gruff man who's willing to sacrifice so much for me. "We'll find a balance."

His lips find mine once more, filling me with renewed hope for our shared future.