AVA’S POV
I stood in Gabriel's doorway, my heart pounding as I looked at his shocked face. He was still holding the gun, still processing that I was actually here.
"I'm sorry," I said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm sorry for running away, for not trusting you, for not believing that you could change."
"Ava—"
"And thank you," I continued, not letting him interrupt. "Thank you for saving me, for saving Elise, for the vacation, for giving me space when I asked for it. Thank you for everything."
Gabriel slowly lowered the gun, setting it on the side table by the door. "Come in," he said quietly. "Please."
I noticed him glancing at the weapon as I stepped inside. "Why do you have that?"
"I got a call from my PI that you girls were gone. Disappeared from the beach house." His voice was tense. "When the doorbell rang, I thought..."
"Wait." I turned to face him fully. "You sent someone to spy on us?"
Gabriel shook his head quickly. "Not spy, exactly. Protect."
"You had us watched the entire time?"
"From a distance. You never would have known he was there if you hadn't left early." Gabriel closed the door and engaged the locks. "I needed to know you were safe."
I felt the emotion of warmth at his protectiveness. "Gabriel, we were fine."
"I know that now. But when Martins called and said you'd vanished..." He ran his hands through his hair. "I thought I'd lost you. Again."
We stood there awkwardly for a moment, the space between us feeling both vast and nonexistent.
"Where are Sophie and Elise?" he asked.
"At the new place I got."
"New place?"
"I found a small apartment closer to campus. Nothing fancy, but it's mine." I shifted my weight nervously. "The girls are there, helping me unpack."
Gabriel nodded, but I could see confusion in his eyes.
"Exams are in a few days," I said, trying to find the right words. "And then I'll be graduating."
"Congratulations." His voice was careful, neutral. "That's wonderful."
I could tell he didn't understand why I was telling him this, what point I was trying to make.
"Gabriel, teacher-student relationships are forbidden at the university," I said, watching his face carefully. "Against school policy."
His expression didn't change, but I saw his jaw tighten slightly.
"So I was thinking," I continued, my heart racing, "maybe we could keep our relationship secret until graduation. Just a few more weeks."
Gabriel went completely still. I watched as the reality of what I was saying sank in.
"Our relationship," he repeated slowly.
"Yes."
"You want to have a relationship with me."
"I thought I made that clear when I said I loved you."
His jaw dropped open, and for a moment, he just stared at me.
"You're not running away," he said, like he was trying to convince himself.
"I'm not running away."
"You're staying."
"I'm staying."
"With me."
"With you." I stepped closer to him. "If you'll have me."
"If I'll have you?" Gabriel's voice was rough with emotion. "Ava, I love you. I've been going crazy these past five days thinking I'd lost you forever."
"You haven't lost me." I reached out and touched his face. "I love you too."
That broke whatever restraint he'd been holding onto. Gabriel grabbed me and pulled me against him, his mouth crashing down on mine in a kiss that was desperate and relieved and full of promise.
I melted into him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he kissed me like he was afraid I might disappear again. We stumbled backward, still kissing, until we fell onto his sofa in a tangle of limbs.
I let out a laugh as we landed, Gabriel's weight pressing me into the cushions.
"I'm going to tell you I love you until you get tired of hearing it," he said against my lips.
"I'll never get tired of hearing it."
"Good." He trailed kisses along my jaw, down my neck. "Because I love you, Moreau."
"I love you too," I laughed, running my fingers through his hair.
"I love your laugh." Kiss. "I love your smile." Kiss. "I love how brave you are." Kiss.
"Gabriel," I giggled, squirming under his attention.
"I love how you challenge me." Kiss. "I love how you make me want to be better." Kiss. "I love everything about you."
"My turn," I said, pulling his face up to mine. "I love your eyes." Kiss. "I love your voice when you lecture." Kiss. "I love how you protected me and my sister."
Gabriel groaned and captured my mouth again. "I love you," he murmured against my lips.
"I love you too."
"I love you more."
"Impossible," I laughed.
"I love you most."
"That's not how it works," I protested, but I was laughing too hard to sound convincing.
"I love you infinity."
"You're ridiculous." I kissed him again, tasting laughter on his lips.
"I'm ridiculously in love with you."
"Good," I said, settling more comfortably against him. "Because I'm ridiculously in love with you too."
Gabriel pulled back to look at me, his dark eyes soft with emotion. "Are you sure about this, Ava? Really sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
"Even though I'm older than you?"
"Age is just a number," I said, repeating Elise's words from the beach house. "Elise told me that."
"Your sister is very wise."
"She is. She also told me not to let you wait too long, because good men don't wait forever."
"I would have waited forever for you."
"You don't have to," I said, reaching up to cup his face. "I'm right here."
"You're right here," he agreed, like he still couldn't quite believe it.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
"I promise." I kissed him softly. "I love you, Gabriel Thorne."
"I love you too, Ava Moreau."
And as we lay there on his sofa, laughing and kissing and declaring our love over and over again, I knew that despite everything we'd been through – the auction, the danger, the lies and half-truths and misunderstandings – we had found our way to each other.
Some love stories start with meet-cutes and first dates. Ours started with desperation and danger and impossible choices.
But it was ours, and it was real, and it was exactly where we both belonged.
THE END.