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I turn towards her.

“I know.”

“Good.”

I turn onto my side as another tear slips out.

Because deep down, I know I’m still trying to figure out who I am without Damiano. And at the same time, I know that tonight, somehow, my soul danced with Jude’s soul and it felt... right.

“He deserves the world,” I whisper, and Chiara doesn’t have to ask who. She knows.

She squeezes my hand.

“Yeah, he does.”

Jude

I didn’t sleep.

Of course I didn’t. Torn between the memory of her taste in my mouth and her scent on my skin, and feeling like I’m the worst fucking friend to both of them.

“Fuck,” I growl as I shove another shirt into my suitcase.

She wasn’t ready. She may never be ready, and I fucking knew that.

I fucked up.

A knock on my door has me looking up.

When I open it, Dex is standing there. He takes one look at my face and his expression changes.

“What happened?”

“Kissed her.”

“Fuck.”

He walks in and closes the door behind him, and a minute later we’re standing out on the balcony.

“I fucked up.”

Dex is silent for a little while. I know him. He’s choosing his words carefully.

“She kiss you back?”

The kiss comes rushing back and every cell in my body wakes up all over again.

“Yeah.” I rub a hand over my face. “Twice.”

Dex turns to look at me.

“If I ever lost Lexy, I…” He shakes his head, staring out at the sea for a moment. “She kissed you back,” he repeats.

“So?”

“So you’re not the only one who feels this.”

“Doesn’t matter.”