I swallow hard, the sting of tears blurring her face, but I force myself to look at her anyway. To memorize every flicker of fire and fear in her eyes, even as she pushes me away.
“If this is what you want…” My voice is strained, low, scraped raw as if glass is scraping down my throat. I nod once, the movement stiff and mechanical. “Then okay.”
Her lips press together, trembling, but she doesn’t answer. Doesn’t take it back.
I push myself up off my knees, my body feeling twice as heavy and twice as broken, each step away from her a tearing wound.
She can say it’s fake. She can scream she doesn’t need me. She can hand me this ring and tear me apart piece by piece. None of it matters because I know the truth: she’smine. She’s always been mine. And I’ll wait—no matter how long it takes—for her to realize it. I’m not going anywhere.
I close my fist around the ring until the edges dig sharp into my skin, a promise burned into flesh.
Behind me, Carter mutters a curse under his breath, Catalina’s voice rising with fury, but I don’t hear them clearly. The only sound I hear is the echo of her voice tearing me apart.
I’ll wait for you, dollface, even if it kills me.
amelia
. . .
The glow of Love Island flickers on Catalina’s TV, with a blonde in a bikini yelling about loyalty as captions scroll nearby. Catalina’s curled up with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn, and I’m wedged beside her, trying to pretend my chest isn’t collapsing.
She narrows her eyes at me, one dark brow raised as she digs into the popcorn. “Okay, I have to say it.” She points a buttery finger at me. “You were being a bitch to Maverick.”
The popcorn halfway to my mouth freezes. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She flicks a kernel in my direction, dramatic as fuck. “Why did you say those mean things? And fake marriage? Did you lose your fucking mind?”
My chest seizes, heat climbing up my neck. “Catalina?—”
She leans forward, dropping the popcorn bowl onto the coffee table with a thud. “Don’t even try to argue. I’ve known you forever, Amelia. I know when you’re lying, and I know when you’re pushing someone away just to saveyourself the pain later. And that’s exactly what you’re doing with Maverick.”
“Cat…” I shake my head, throat tight, panic sparking. “I can’t?—”
From the kitchen, a low chuckle cuts through. Carter’s leaning against the counter, beer in hand, watching with a smirk tugging at his mouth.
“Love it when you get fired up, baby,” he drawls, smug as sin.
Catalina whirls around, glaring. “Seriously? Shove your dick in your pants, later, baby.”
He grins wider, takes a slow sip, eyes gleaming.
I groan, pulling the blanket over my head. “Why are you both like this?”
Catalina yanks it right off me. “Nope. You don’t get to hide. You can roll your eyes, you can groan, but you’re gonna fucking listen to me.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Okay, okay, I’m listening.”
She smirks, smug as hell. “Good.”
Carter’s chuckle rumbles low, but his gaze sharpens as it locks onto me. “Don’t fuckin’ ice him out, Amelia. You hurt him, you answer to me.”
Catalina swats at his arm, shooting him a look. “I’ve got this.” Then she turns back to me, eyes burning. “You think I don’t notice? You’re overthinking yourself into a corner. Maverick isn’t Jax. He’s not gonna gaslight you or ditch you. He loves you, Amelia. Loudly. And you’re too fucking scared to believe it.”
My throat locks, eyes burning as I whisper, “I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to let someone stay. Every time I think I can—I hear Jax in my head, and I…” My voice cracks, breaking apart.
Catalina is instantly there, wrapping her arms aroundme and pulling me close. “You’re not broken,” she says intensely, rocking me like a sister would. “Jax doesn’t get to own you anymore. Maverick already showed you who he is. Let him prove it.”
I sob against her shoulder, messy and raw. It’s humiliating, but it’s real.
