The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 154

Chapter 140: The Conditions

Bella POV

I pulled back slightly, needing the distance to say it properly

“First condition,” I said. “We don’t rush no engagement announcement, no ring shopping next week no timeline shaped by your board’s opinion or anyone else’s expectations. We move when we’re both ready and I’m the one who decides when that is.”

“Agreed,” he said immediately.

“You’re not even going to negotiate?”

“No.”

I looked at him. “Most people negotiate.”

“I’m not negotiating the terms of spending my life with you” he said simply. “What else?”

*Second condition, we see someone like a therapist. Together. I’m not building something on top of everything that happened without a solid foundation. I’ve worked too hard to get here to watch it crack because we were too proud to do the work properly.”

Something moved across his face “I’ve been seeing a new therapist for about eight months”

I stared at him. “You have.”

“Yes.”

“You never told me.”

“You never asked. And I wasn’t sure you’d believe me, I didn’t want it to sound like something I was performing for you.

I thought about the notebook and the letters. “All right,” I said quietly. “Then we go together, starting fresh”

“Agreed.”

“Third condition.” I hesitated, and something about the hesitation must have shown on my face because his expression shifted.

“I want us to actually know each other,” I said “Physically Properly

He blinked. Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that

“I want to take our time with it,” I continued. “No rushing, no half-finished moments in dark hallways. I wand

to actually explore. Let’s learn from each other. All of it, properly, without anything held back”

The smirk arrived slowly, and when it did it was devastating. “Bella.” His voice had dropped an entire register. “We’ve already”

“I know what we’ve already done,” I said flatly.

Chapter 140 The Conditions

Just making sure you remembered.”

Clam

“I remember perfectly,” I said. “That’s exactly why I’m making it a condition. Because it was” I stopped. “Because I want more of it. All of it, I want to know what you like and I want you to know what I like and I want us to actually take the time to figure that out properly instead of it always happening in the middle of some crisis or emotional breakdown.”

He was no longer smirking, instead he was looking at me with an expression that was significantly more dangerous than a smirk.

“You’re making that a formal condition,” he said.

“I am.”

“Of our marriage.”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” he said. “Agreed.”

“You agreed to that very quickly.”

“Bella.” He held my gaze steadily. “I will never in my life negotiate against that particular condition.”

I felt heat rise to my face despite everything and looked away first, which I refused to be embarrassed about. “Good,” I said. “Then we’re aligned.”

“Completely,” he said, and I could hear the smile in it without looking.

“There might be more,” I added. ” but I reserve the right to add them.”

“You can add as many as you want,” he said. “Bella, I know I’m not starting from neutral ground with you. I know what I’m asking you to build over, so I am not pretending any of that is simple.”

“I know you’re not.”

“But I want to,” he said. “I want to do every piece of it – the therapy, the honesty, the conditions you haven’t thought of yet. I want the work.” He exhaled slowly. “I want to deserve it.”

I looked at him for a long moment. “You’re already partway there,” I said. “That’s why I’m saying yes.”

–

I crossed the kitchen and took his face in my hands, and he covered my hands with his, and I looked at him straight on with everything I had all of it, the fear and the hope and the years between then and now – and said it again, clearly, so there was no room for misunderstanding. “Yes, Caleb. Absolutely yes.”

He pulled me in and held on, and I felt his exhale against my hair and I closed my eyes and held him back.

Tom found us still standing in the kitchen, he looked between us with enormous eyes and said: “Why are you both making that face?”

“What face?” I asked.

“The one where something happened.” He pointed between us. “Did something happen?”

Caleb looked at me as I looked at Caleb.

23

Chapter 140 The Conditions

“We’re getting married,” Caleb said.

Claim

Tom’s mouth dropped open, he looked at me. Back at Caleb. Back at me. “Like – married-married? Not already-married?”

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