Broken Bond: Claimed by My Ex-Husband's Alpha Billionaire Uncle-Chapter 48: I’ll Wait For You

Damon smirked. "Do you want me to carry you to the bath?"

She groaned. "I don’t think I can survive another second in your arms. That’s how I ended up like this in the first place."

He laughed, the sound deep and rich. "Fair point." He shifted slightly, pulling her closer, his fingers tangling in her hair. "But you should still clean up before you sleep, sweetheart."

Charlotte peeked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "You’re really bossy, you know that?"

She didn’t even understand why she had suddenly started speaking so informally to him, but since he didn’t seem to mind, Charlotte saw no reason to change the way she spoke.

He softened his smile. "Only when it comes to taking care of you."

For a moment, silence filled the room, comfortable and warm. The fire had completely died out.

Charlotte traced circles on his chest, her voice softer now. "Damon ..."

"Hm?"

She hesitated before whispering, "Do you ever think about what comes next? About us?"

His hand stilled on her back. Then, after a moment, he tightened his embrace, pressing her fully against him. "What do you mean?"

"Our relationship." Charlotte said, "I don’t mind if we do this constantly, but Damon ... I don’t think I’m ready for something deeper."

After being trapped in a long-term relationship and betrayed by a man she once loved, Charlotte wasn’t sure about her feelings anymore. She wasn’t even certain if she loved Damon or if it was just the effect of their bond.

She felt safe with him, comfortable—but love? Love was something she was afraid to reach for.

Not now. Not yet.

Damon was silent for a moment, his fingers tracing circles on her bare back. "I see," he finally said.

Charlotte bit her lip, her heart pounding. "I just don’t want to give you the wrong idea," she continued, "This ... whatever we have, it’s good. But if you’re expecting more from me, I—"

"I’m not," he cut her off gently. "I won’t push you into anything you’re not ready for." He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "But, Charlotte ... I won’t pretend this is nothing to me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have real feelings for you."

Her heart clenched at his words.

Damon had done so much for her, more than anyone ever had. He had come to her the moment she asked, no hesitation, no conditions. He had stood by her side, protected her, and given her every reason to trust him.

She couldn’t deny it anymore. He didn’t do all of this just because of their bond.

It was because of love.

Because no man would give all of that to her for nothing.

And now, after hearing his words, her suspicions were confirmed.

He truly had feelings for her.

"I ... I’m not saying that I can’t love you," Charlotte murmured. "It’s just that the word ’love’ itself makes me cautious. It scares me, and it always reminds me of my past relationship."

She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "But, Damon, I also don’t want to stay trapped in my past forever."

Reaching out, she cupped his cheek, her touch gentle. "If you don’t mind ... Can you wait for me? Until I’ve settled my mind, my heart, my wounds." She offered him a soft smile. "Because if I fall in love with someone once more, then that person will be you."

She longed to open her heart again, to embrace the love Damon was willing to give her—but first, she had to mend the wounds of her past.

Every scar, every heartbreak had left an imprint on her soul, and she knew she couldn’t ignore them. She needed time to heal, to rebuild herself piece by piece, until she could finally stand before him without hesitation.

Only then could she say the words he deserved to hear. Only then could she love him the way he deserved to be loved.

Damon caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm before holding it against his chest. His heartbeat felt strong beneath her fingers.

"I’ll wait," he murmured, his voice filled with certainty. "No matter how long it takes, I’ll be here."

Charlotte held her breath for a moment. It would have been easier if he had shown impatience, if he had tried to convince her, to rush her into something she wasn’t ready for.

But he didn’t. He just accepted her.

Her fingers trembled slightly against his skin. "I don’t want to make you wait forever."

"You won’t," he assured her, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "Healing takes time, Charlotte. I don’t want to force you, I just want to stand beside you while you find your way."

A tight ache formed in her chest. She felt bad for him because she knew Damon didn’t deserve any of this. "It’s my fault. If only I didn’t ask you to broke—"

Damon cut her off before she could finish, his voice firm yet gentle. "It’s not your fault. Never."

His fingers brushed against her cheek, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "Charlotte, don’t do that to yourself."

His gray eyes softened. "You can place the blame on others for your pain, but never on yourself, because out of everyone, you’re the one who wanted to avoid it the most." fгeewebnovёl.com

Her throat tightened. "But I—"

"No," he interrupted again, shaking his head. "You didn’t force me into anything. You never did." He continued, "I’m here because I want to be. And if waiting is what you need, then I’ll wait. As long as it takes."

"I don’t want to hurt you," she admitted in a small voice. "I don’t deserve you."

Damon tilted her chin up, his lips brushing softly against her temple. "That’s not true," he whispered, "You deserve love. You deserve someone who chooses you without hesitation."

Her throat tightened as she leaned into him, resting her forehead against his. For the first time in a long time, the idea of love didn’t feel like a burden. It didn’t feel like something terrifying.

Maybe, just maybe, with Damon, she could finally learn how to love again.

"Just don’t push me away." He said, "That would hurt me more than anything else."

She closed her eyes. "Okay," she whispered. "I won’t push you away."

Damon smiled, a hint of relief appearing in his expression. "Good."

And with that, he pulled her close, holding her like he never intended to let go.

Damon whispered beside her ears, "I love you."

"I know." Charlotte hugged him tighter, hoping that one day she could give him the same words.