#Chapter 226: The Honeymoon

The offshore safehouse had been designed to look like an ordinary villa, and as we approached it, that disguise felt almost convincing. Sunlight slid across the faded terra‑cotta tiles, and the sea‑green shutters rattled softly whenever the coastal wind pressed against them. The scent of citrus trees mingled with brine from the nearby water, creating a calm that settled into my chest the moment we crossed through the narrow gate. Inside, the place was reinforced more heavily than most bunkers I’d trained in, but the security meant very little to me compared to the simple relief of stepping into a space where no one expected anything from either of us. Richard closed the door with a gentle click, and before the sound finished echoing through the entryway, he reached for me. The kiss landed with a suddenness that came from weeks of holding back, and he pressed me against him with a certainty that made my pulse jump. His hands slid beneath my shirt as if he had thought about this ex