I shove the phone back in my pocket and look at Jessica. She's watching me with those big hazel eyes, reading my expression.
"He's not giving up, is he?" Her voice is small. Scared.
"Nope." I don't lie to her. Can't. She deserves better than that. "But neither are we."
She pulls her knees tighter to her chest. "Why would you risk your friendship with him for me?"
I could give her a dozen reasons. Could talk about right and wrong, about loyalty, about doing the decent thing.
But she asked why, and she deserves the truth.
"Because I'm in love with you." The words come out easier than I expected. Simple. True. "Have been since the first time Callum brought you home and you laughed at my stupid joke about two-by-fours. If I have to choose between years of friendship with a guy who treats people like property and one woman who makes me want to be better than I am, that's not really a choice at all."
She stares at me. Mouth slightly open. Eyes wide.
"You're in love with me."
"Yeah." I run my hand through my hair, dislodging sawdust. "Surprise."
"But I'm a disaster. You just said so."
"I said you're my favorite disaster. There's a difference." I reach out and brush a tear from her cheek. "And I'm not the only one, by the way. In case you haven't noticed, all four of us are pretty much gone for you."
"That's insane."
"That's pack." I shrug. "We don't do anything halfway."
She opens her mouth to respond, then closes it. Her fingers twist in the fabric of Sergio's jersey, knuckles white with tension. The silence stretches between us, heavy with everything unsaid.
"I should leave," she finally whispers. "If I go, he'll follow me. You'll all be safe."
"Absolutely not." I shift closer, my knee pressing against her thigh through the layers of blankets. "You're not using yourself as bait, sunshine. That's not how this works."
"But he's your friend. Was your friend." Her voice cracks. "All of you have known him since you were kids. I can't be the reason you lose that. I can't be the reason your friendship ends."
"Callum ended the friendship the moment he put his hands on you." I cup her face in my palms, forcing her to meet my eyes. "The moment he tried to make you small so he could feel big. That's not friendship. That's control. And I'm done letting him control anything."
"Carlos..."
"I mean it." I lean my forehead against hers, breathing her in. Vanilla and honey mixed with the sharp bite of fear. "I love you. I've loved you since the first time you reorganized my tool shed and labeled everything with that label maker you bought at the hardware store. Since you stayed three hours past when you should have left to help me finish the Miller deck. Since you made me three dozen cookies to apologize for ruining my oven mitts even though I told you it wasn't necessary."
She laughs. Watery and broken but real. "I still feel bad about the oven mitts."
"Best hundred dollars I ever spent on replacements." I grin at her, trying to coax more of that smile. "You're not nothing, Jess. You're everything. And if choosing between years of friendship with a man who treats people like property and one woman who makes me want to be better than I am is supposed to be a hard choice, then he never knew me at all."
She stares at me. Her lips part but no sound comes out. Her hands are still twisted in the jersey, still holding on like she's afraid to let go.
"You mean that," she finally manages.
"Every word."
Her hands release the jersey. Slowly. Like she's testing whether she's allowed. They come up to cover mine where theyrest against her cheeks. Her fingers are cold, trembling against my skin.
"What if I'm not worth it?" The words are barely audible. "What if Callum's right? What if I'm just some mediocre omega who got lucky?"
"Then he's blind." I kiss her forehead. Then her nose. Then the corner of her mouth. Soft touches meant to soothe, not seduce. "You're the woman who reorganized our entire evidence room in three days. Who remembers every name of every kid on Sergio's team. Who helped Mrs. Patterson pick paint colors for four hours and never once complained. You're extraordinary. Not mediocre. Not lucky. Extraordinary."
She makes a sound. Half laugh, half sob. Then she kisses me.
