Silence enveloped us.
“What do you mean?” Mom asked, her voice laced with worry.
“There was a bet,” I confessed, the words tasting bitter. “It was fucking stupid. Before I even knew her. Just Liam and Adonis running their mouths. They dared me to get close to her, said she was untouchable. Cold.”
I glanced up, guilt gnawing at me. “But she’s not. She’s fire—controlled, beautiful fire. I got close, and I didn’t stop it when I should’ve, and now—”
“You fell for her,” Dad said simply.
I nodded, the weight of that truth settling in. “Yeah.”
Mom stood, crossing the room to me. She set her tea down and gently ran her fingers through my hair, as if I were still that little boy who couldn’t sleep after a nightmare.
“Then tell her,” she urged softly. “Tell her the truth before someone else does. Because if she’s really the one, she deserves all of you—not just the part you think she’ll love.”
“She might walk away,” I whispered, the fear creeping into my voice.
“She might,” Dad replied with a firm tone. “But if you lie—if you keep hiding—it’ll hurt even more when the truth comes out. Trust me. Regret lasts a hell of a lot longer than fear.”
I sat there, frozen, Elizabeth’s face flashing through my mind once more. Her laugh. Her trust. The way her eyes lit up when she looked at me like I truly mattered. What had I done?
Elizabeth
I woke up slow.
For once, there were no nightmares, no orders from Adonis, nothing. Just sunlight bleeding through the curtains, soft and gold, like the world had decided to be kind—for once.
I lay there, tangled in sheets, still wearing the black tank from last night, the memory of his jacket around my shoulderssomuch warmer than it should’ve been.
Noah.
The name alone made my stomach flutter and tighten all at once.
I didn’tdobutterflies.
Butterflies were for girls who grew up safe. Who didn’t flinch when someone reached for them too fast.
But last night?
Something had shifted.
He looked at me like I was real. Like I wasn’t just the mask or the weapon or the legacy.
Like I was just…Elizabeth.
I rolled over and grabbed my phone off the nightstand.
Three new messages from Lillian. One from Mary. All from way too early in the morning.
Lillian:SO??? Tell me everything. Don’t leave out the good parts or I’ll show up and demand a live retelling.
Mary:I swear to god if this is finally abouthim, I need tea and scones IMMEDIATELY.
Lillian:You didn’t run, right?
Lillian:Right???? ??????
I stared at the screen for a second, biting my lip.
