Eternal Echoes of Love

Chapter 26 – A Love That Feels Like Forever

The world outside was silent, the city beneath them glowing like a sea of stars. But inside, within the warm embrace of Elias's penthouse, time seemed to slow.

Serena lay in his arms, her fingers tracing lazy circles on his bare chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing. She had never felt this kind of peace before—like the universe had conspired to bring her here, to this exact moment, in the arms of the one person who made everything else fade away.

Elias shifted slightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're quiet," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep but laced with curiosity. "Regretting it already?"

She tilted her head up, meeting his eyes. They were softer than she'd ever seen them, filled with something raw and unguarded. She brushed a hand along his jaw, marveling at how effortlessly he made her feel safe.

"Not for a second," she whispered.

A slow smile curved his lips, his fingers tracing the length of her spine, sending shivers through her. "Good," he said. "Because if you were, I'd spend the rest of my life convincing you otherwise."

Serena's heart clenched at his words. The weight of them. The meaning behind them.

Elias Carter was many things—powerful, confident, dangerously charming—but in this moment, he was just a man who had given her his heart without hesitation.

And she was terrified of how much she wanted to give him hers in return.

She propped herself up on one elbow, studying him. "You make it sound so easy," she murmured.

Elias reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's because it is," he said simply. "Loving you isn't complicated, Serena. It just… is."

Her breath caught.

It was the kind of thing she had always been afraid to believe in—love that didn't come with conditions, with expectations. Love that simply existed, steady and unyielding, no matter how much she tried to resist it.

She swallowed hard, her fingers tightening against his skin. "Elias…"

He cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her bottom lip. "Tell me what you're thinking," he urged, his voice softer now, gentler. "Because I swear, Serena, if you don't want this—if you need me to stop—I will. Just say the word."

But that was the problem.

She didn't want him to stop.

She didn't want to run this time.

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elias exhaled slowly, his forehead pressing against hers. "Of what?"

"Of how much you make me feel."

His arms tightened around her, pulling her impossibly closer. "Then let me take that fear away," he murmured against her skin. "Let me show you that you never have to be afraid of this—of us."

Serena closed her eyes, letting his words sink into her.

He was right.

This—whatever it was between them—wasn't something to fear. It was something to cherish. Something to hold onto before it slipped away.

So instead of answering, she kissed him.

It was slow at first, tentative. But then Elias pulled her against him, and suddenly, the kiss became something deeper—something that felt like a promise.

His hands moved along her back, every touch igniting a fire beneath her skin. Serena melted into him, letting herself get lost in the feeling of being his.

He rolled her onto her back, his lips trailing down her neck, his touch reverent, as if he was worshiping every inch of her. She arched beneath him, her breath coming in soft gasps as he made her feel things she had never known she was capable of feeling.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted this," Elias murmured against her skin.

Serena tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him back up to her lips. "Then don't stop," she whispered. "Not yet."

Elias groaned softly, capturing her mouth in another searing kiss, one that stole the air from her lungs.

And in that moment, she knew—this wasn't just passion.

This was love.

The Next Morning

Serena stirred at the feeling of soft lips pressing against her shoulder, warmth surrounding her like a blanket. She blinked her eyes open, only to find Elias watching her, a lazy smile playing at his lips.

"Good morning," he murmured, his fingers tracing the curve of her hip.

Serena stretched, her body still humming from the night before. "Morning," she replied, her voice laced with sleep.

Elias tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his expression unreadable. "You stayed."

She searched his face, realizing that despite all of his confidence, a part of him had been afraid she'd be gone when he woke up.

Serena reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. "I did."

His grip tightened ever so slightly. "Are you going to keep running from this?"

She hesitated, but only for a second.

"No," she said, her voice steady. "I'm done running."

Elias exhaled, his lips curving into a satisfied smile. "Good," he said, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Because I'm not letting you go."

Serena's heart swelled.

She didn't want him to.

And for the first time in a long time, she believed that maybe—just maybe—this love was worth fighting for.

To be continued....