Chapter 10 - STAYThe sun was high and bright over New York Harbor three days later.
The clinic on Kent Avenue was closed for remodeling, but inside Mara’s apartment, the air smelled of fresh coffee and roasted rosemary chicken.
A sharp, authoritative knock sounded at the door.
Mara opened it. Adrian stood there, wearing a simple black cashmere sweater instead of his usual heavy coat. His face was unblemished, his dark hair slightly ruffled by the autumn breeze. Sitting right behind him in the hallway, looking healthy, strong, and entirely recovered with a sleek new silver tag on his collar, was Ash.
The giant mastiff nudged past Adrian, trotting straight into the kitchen and dropping his heavy head directly onto Mara’s bare feet, letting out a contented sigh.
Mara looked down at the dog, then up at Adrian, a slow, warm smile spreading across her face.
"You know," Mara said, leaning against the doorframe, crossing her arms just like she had that first night, "your dog is becoming a terrible houseguest. He eats all my sliced turkey and takes up the entire living room rug."
Adrian stepped across the threshold, closing the door behind him with a soft click that locked the rest of the world outside. He reached out, his warm fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes softening as they locked onto hers.
"Then it's a good thing," Adrian murmured, his voice rich with quiet promise, "that I bought the apartment upstairs, too. You'll never have to worry about running out of room."
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Mara didn't pull away. She reached up, resting her hand against the strong, warm line of his jaw, feeling the steady beat of a life she had never planned for, and a love that had found her in the dark.
Above the kitchen sink, the framed print—STAY—caught the golden morning light, finally making complete and total sense.
