Page 492 of Once Upon a Fable

“Guess we need to host another party for you soon,” he said proudly. “I noticed you’re closing in on three million subscribers on your channel.”

Anger curdled in my belly with how he kept a hand on Gem’s elbow.

She disengaged from the guy as quickly as she could, allowing me to suck in a much-needed breath. “Yes, it seems to have exploded a little, ever since Kas appeared on my live Q&A.”

The guy glanced my way. “Kas. The man of the hour.” He held out his hand, straight toward me like a sword. “Pleasure to meet you. It’s an honor that you could make it tonight. We have big dreams for a collaboration if you’re open to discussing.” His hand jerked a little, waiting for me to clasp it.

“Touch it, Kas. Touch it real good, and I might just touch you back.”

I choked as Wilby’s voice slipped through my head.

My skin crawled.

Gem once again saved me from embarrassing myself. Tripping into me, she squeaked dramatically. “Oh!”

My arms automatically came up to catch her when she crashed into my chest. My hands locked around her waist. “Whoa, are you okay?”

She caught my worried gaze with a conspiratorial glance. “Yes, fine. Sorry. I’m not used to being in such high heels.Veryclumsy of me.” Smoothing down my tux where she’d deliberately fallen into me, she flicked her hair, turned her back, and plonked herself directly in front of me, preventing any hope of Tony getting a handshake without physically removing her.

Fuck, I love this woman.

“Sorry about that.” Gemma laughed. “Kas is such a gentleman. Never lets me fall. Which is ironic, seeing as I was the reason he fell off a cliff.”

“Ah, yes!” Tony dropped his arm. “I read about that. The unfortunate incident that led to a long recovery, you playing nursemaid, and the romantic conclusion of falling in love.”

Gem laughed. It was strained and slightly forced, but I doubted anyone would notice who wasn’t intimately involved with her like I was.

Like.

I.

Am.

Holy shit.

I’m the only one who gets to see her naked.

Just like she’s the only one who gets to see me naked.

And not just naked physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

Fuck.

It was like a bomb went off inside my head.

A simple, significant bomb that showed just howpreciousthat truth was.

No one else.

Ever again.

Just us.

My shoulders fell away from my ears, my back straightened, and a peace fell over my racing heart. A peace I’d tried so fucking hard to grasp, but it’d kept eluding me until now.

A peace that came from surrendering to everything.

Surrendering to whathad happened. Surrendering to whatwas happening. And knowing, without any fucking doubt, that nothing bad would happen again.