I nodded, swallowing hard, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. “I… I’m done, Holden,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I can’t do this anymore.”
I turned, each step away from him feeling like a knife twisting in my chest. I made it to the doorway before I heard him.
“Mylo, wait?—”
I paused, my hand on the doorframe, my heart pounding, hoping—praying—that he’d say it. That he’d finally let me in.
But he didn’t. There was nothing but silence behind me.
I swallowed hard, my vision blurring as I walked out of the room, out of his house. Every step felt heavier than the last, and by the time I reached my cabin, I felt like I was falling apart.
I sank onto the bed, burying my face in my hands as the tears came—hot, bitter, unstoppable.
How stupid could I have been? To think I could have something good. Something real. I’d let myself believe it, let myself fall for him, and now…
Now, I was right back where I started. Alone.
And the worst part? Despite everything, I still loved him. And that hurt more than anything.
CHAPTER TWENTY
HOLDEN
I stoodoutside Mylo’s cabin for what felt like hours, staring at the door, praying he’d open it. I’d knocked until my knuckles ached, called his name until my throat went raw. Nothing. Not even a rustle from inside. He was done with me. And honestly, I couldn’t blame him.
I finally dragged myself back to the house, the weight of it all pressing down on me. It was one thing for Mylo to push me away, but knowing I was the reason—knowing I was the one who messed this up—made my chest feel like it was caving in. By the time I walked into the living room, my head was pounding, and all I wanted was something—anything—to make the noise in my brain stop.
West, Knox, and Law were already there, sprawled across the couches with beers in hand. They looked up when I walked in, and I knew they could see it all over my face—the defeat, the heartbreak. I didn’t even bother hiding it. What was the point? They knew everything anyway.
Hell,everyoneprobably knew by now.
“Didn’t go well, did it?” West asked, his voice softer than usual.
I shook my head and dropped into the armchair across from them. “He wouldn’t even open the door.”
Knox winced, taking a slow sip of his beer. “I mean... can you blame him? You’ve been keeping a pretty big secret, Holden. And not just any secret—ashiftersecret. He probably thinks you’re hiding something worse.”
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling inside me. “I know. Ifuckingknow, okay? I hate this. I hate that it’s gone on this long. I hate myself for not just telling him.”
“So tell him,” Law said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “Get it over with. Rip off the damn band-aid.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, because it’s that easy. I tried. I really did. But every time I opened my mouth to say it, all I could think about was James. The way he looked at me when he found out. The fear in his eyes. I can’t... I can’t do that again.”
Maybe it was stupid, but it felt like if I could postpone it long enough—savor the time we had together—then by the time he found out, if he decided to walk away... at least I’d have the memories.
It was stupid.
“This isn’t James,” Knox said quietly. “This is Mylo. Your mate. You’re not the same person you were back then. You’ve got to stop letting that one moment control your whole life. Mylo deserves the truth. Hell, he deserves thechoiceto decide if he wants to be with you or not.”
“And what if he decides he doesn’t?” I asked, my voice cracking despite my best effort to keep it steady.
“Well, he’s already done that because you didn’t tell him,” Law pointed out bluntly.
“Helpful,” I growled.
Law just shrugged, completely unfazed.
“Then at least you’ll know you tried,” West said, his gaze steady. “Right now, you’re not even giving him a chance. You’redeciding for him, and that’s not fair. Not to you, and definitely not to him.”
