Hux was right.
I’m not good for him—not anymore.
I’ve packed quietly. Just the essentials. Enough to get me through a few days at Joseph and Danny’s. They don’t know I’m coming. If they did, they’d try to talk me out of it. But they won’t turn me away when I show up on their doorstep.
I know that much.
For a moment, I consider calling Daddy. I want to hear his voice, to ground me in something that still feels real. But I know how that call will go—questions, judgment, lectures about Colt and Macy. I can’t deal with that on top of everything else. He doesn’t need to know. Not yet.
I load my luggage into the back of my car. The sight of the manor behind me makes my heart twist. I love this place—our place. But it’s no longer mine. Maybe it never really was.
They should move in. Colt, Macy, Caleb. They deserve this home now—a fresh start. I’ll find my own path. I don’t know what it looks like, but I’ll figure it out.Eventually.
The thought of the fans—of theevil minions—turns my stomach. When word gets out that I left, I know exactly how brutal they’ll be. But I don’t care. Let them come for me. The only thing I care about is making sure Colt has the freedom to be the father he was always meant to be.
I head back inside for one final walk-through. The manor is quiet. Still. I pause in the music room, letting my eyes roam across the instruments, the worn leather chairs, the mic stand Colt leans into when he rehearses.
I sit on the white sofa where I always watch them practice. My hands clutch the edge of the cushion. My chest tightens with the weight of every memory.
This band.
This house.
This life.
Itwasmy everything.
But all fires, no matter how wild, burn out eventually.
Suddenly, my stomach turns. I scramble for the nearest trash can and barely make it in time. The bile hits my throat, hot and acidic, as I retch violently. My body shakes with the force of it, and I cough hard, spluttering as tears follow in waves.
When I’m done, I sit back on the sofa, panting. My hands shake as I press them to my stomach. Everything feels like it’s spiraling.
12GUAGE-Slayedwas never just a band to me, it was a heartbeat. My tether to something bigger than myself. Loving Colt changed everything. It gave me purpose. And now, letting him go is the only way to return that gift.
He was always too good for me. Too much.
I wipe my mouth, tie up the trash bag, carry it to the kitchen, and toss it into the bin. I glance around at the mess still lingering from the night before—the broken plate, the scattered food, the remnants of a dinner meant to bring us back together.
Our love has always been passionate. Intense. But even the strongest flames can consume themselves.
Eventually, every fire dies.
I walk to the back window and stare out at the willow tree. Snow dusts its branches gently. So many memories live out there beneath those leaves and in the sway of its limbs. I rest my hand on the cold glass as a tear slides silently down my cheek.
“C’mon, Princess,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Time to go.”
She lifts her head and pads over to me, her tail wagging softly. I scoop her into my arms and carry her to the car, placing her carefully on the passenger seat along with her favorite bed. She settles in quickly, unaware of howfinalthis moment feels to me.
Back inside, I head upstairs for one last goodbye.
I stop at the top of the staircase, fingers brushing my wedding and engagement rings. My breath catches as I look down atthem. Symbols of everything we fought through. Everything we survived.
But I can’t wear them anymore.
Not if I’m walking away.
With shaking hands, I slide them off and place them gently on the railing. They glint in the soft light.
