Page 100 of Love Me

“Something changed, Celine. He said he was done today.”

They get in the car, and Kaden looks at Abi with a shake of his head.

“He’ll be bitching about this until the day I die.”

“You’re a good team.”

I am not jealous anymore. With the truth came solace.

“I don’t know what you did, but it’s you. For him, it will always be about you.”

“What about what he did?”

“Find your way back. It’s up to you if you let mistakes and hurt control you. Accept and move on. Altered, scarred, and different. But together.”

“You never wrote to me.”

“We had to fight our own demons here, Celine. No one forgot about you. We didn’t exclude you. In a way, it helped to know one of us escaped this. But you being you, you had to come back.”

I suppress a smile and add, “Yes, along with a lot of baggage.”

“Maybe we should all just open our luggage and trust each other.”

The engine revs up, pounding in my ears. The tied race captivates all my attention. Neither of them gives the other an inch. Kaden has the nose upfront, and Abi’s jaw drops in response. “This egocentric asshole. One night. One night.”

She holds her breath. It’s so clear who her heart belongs to. Guilt shoots up through my veins. I am fully on her team. When Dane takes the lead and wins, we both exhale loudly.

Abi fans herself, and I suppress my amusement.

“I look composed, right?”

“You do.”

“Good. We don’t want to make it easy for him.”

Kaden approaches her. She hugs him, and he kisses the top of her head.

“The things I do for you.”

“Shh, he’s coming.”

“Stop looking like you can’t wait.”

“I so can’t wait.”

I bite down a laugh and look at him, begging him to acknowledge me, but he avoids my glance.

Dane yanks Abi to his side. “I am here to collect my prize for the night. I hope you won’t mind me returning her a bit ruffled.”

He tosses her over his shoulder, and my mouth drops. Longing drips from them in rivulets like honey.

I grab Kaden’s hand, needing to talk, but he turns his back on me.

Go after him.

We need to talk, and we will.

I see that girl approaching him again.

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