Page 93 of Fault Line

“It sure as hell seems like it. I was willing to give you more time and space if that’s what you really needed, but seeing Elio in your bed this morning, well ... it shows me that youdidneed someone to be there for you after all. Unfortunately, that person wasn’t me.”

“I’m sorry, Holden, about calling him instead of you.” Her eyes fill with remorse. “But I do need you, too. You know I do.”

“Too little, too late for that,” I snap, my frustration boiling up to the surface. “And you know what else? I fucking needed you too. Last night. This morning. I got a bomb dropped on me by my dad, and you were the first fucking person I wanted to come to about it.”

“Oh Beck, what happened?”

“It’s not even worth it.” I blow out an impatient breath. “When you’re ready for me to be there for you—fully—then maybe I’ll let you return the favor.”

“Holden,” she whispers, voice breaking.

“Goodbye, Kaia. Have a nice morning with your friend.”

I turn my back on her, my chest tightening with disappointment. With one hand on the doorknob, I fight the urge to turn around and try to fix things—right here and now—but I know that it won’t be fruitful.

We’re still learning how to navigate each other’s emotions and boundaries, and she needs to understand the importance of her actions. We can’t grow together if she’s constantly pushing me away.

As I step out of the apartment and the door closes behind me, I pause to collect my composure, trying to remain steady. It’s a bump in the road for us, I tell myself, not the end of the world. We’ve only just started this journey together, and there are bound to be obstacles along the way.

But an even bigger part of me still wonders if she’ll ever truly let me in.

Doubts creep their way inside my head, making me question if we can overcome this hurdle. But the memories of the last few months—more accurately, the last fewyears—keep me hoping that maybe we can work through this after all.

For now, though, I think I need to take some space of my own.

33

KAIA

The soundof the front door closing reverberates through the apartment, each fading footstep a painful reminder of the distance growing between us. The weight of what just happened is pressing, and I feel like I’ve failed both of us.

I make a half-assed attempt to collect myself, my heart flittering in my chest as I make my way back to my room. Elio’s sitting there on the edge of my bed, his hair and clothing ruffled from sleep. His dark eyes fill with concern as he rubs at the back of his neck, clearly having overheard our conversation.

“Shit, Kai. I’m sorry.”

I sink down onto the bed beside him, my voice barely a whisper. “It’s not your fault, E. It’s mine. I should’ve just been more open with him from the start.”

His gaze softens, and he nudges my shoulder. “You were just trying to protect yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“But I hurt him in the process,” I say, blowing out a breath. “And now he’s going through something, and I can’t even be there for him.”

He squeezes my upper arm, trying to offer some comfort. “You can still be there for him, Kai. But maybe he just needs some time to process everything.”

“I know.” I rub at my temples. “I just ... I’m scared. I messed up, and now I don’t know if I can fix it.”

“You’re stronger than you think,” he tells me, his voice warm and reassuring. “Just give him some space, and let him know you’re there for him when he’s ready.”

“Yeah, okay.” I wipe my eyes, pressing my palms together to calm myself. “I just hope it’s not too late.”

He pats my hand before standing up. “It won’t be. He clearly gives a shit about you. And you obviously like him too much to let it end like this.”

“Yeah, I do.” I offer him a small smile, grateful for his presence and support. “And, um, thanks again for being here for me last night, despite the shitstorm we woke up to this morning.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “I got you. That’s what friends are for, right?”

With that, he leaves the room, giving me some time alone to gather my thoughts. And as I sit here, I contemplate the possibility of losing Holden for good. The idea makes my skin crawl, and I know I need to do something to make it right. To fix this rift, this divide, that I created between us—sooner rather than later.

I spend the rest of the day fully lost in my head, as per usual, my heart heavy with regret. I keep replaying our conversation, wishing I could have found a way to make him stay. To be there for him the way he’s been there for me these last few months.

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