Page 95 of Ripple Effect

Elio’s grip on me tightens, but I gently disengage. “This isn’t the time or place to have this discussion,” I say. “I’ve moved on, and you should, too.”

“Yeah, bud,” Elio cuts in. “I think you found ‘your closure’ when you slipped between somebody else’s legs.”

Logan’s face contorts into a mask of rage, and he lunges forward. Elio reacts quickly, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. Logan grunts in pain, struggling against his quick strength.

“You don’t have to be with this piece of shit,” Logan nearly spits. “I still want you, Daisy. I always have.”

“You have a real funny way of showing it,” I mutter.

“Seriously?” Logan scoffs a laugh. “You thinkthisguy, some loser who fucks other people for a few bucks, is the better choice?”

I step forward, my heart pounding with anger. He can insult me all he wants, but when it comes to Elio, I have to draw the line. “Just give it up already,” I say, my voice a pleading whisper. “This isn’t what I came here for.”

Logan’s features soften slightly as he looks at me, but his tone remains harsh. “Fine,” he says, “I’ll leave you alone. But don’t come crawling back to me when he breaks your heart.”

“Don’t worry,” I say. “There’s not a chance of that happening.”

Elio loosens his grip on Logan, giving him a shove toward the door. “Go before I do something I’ll regret.”

Logan shoots him a venomous look, but behind his anger, there’s a hint of brokenness. A realization that he truly lost something precious. He hesitates for a second, as though contemplating whether to apologize or at least explain. But instead, he turns on his heel and storms right out of the kitchen.

As the door slams shut behind him, murmurs arise from the living room, evidence that everyone’s been eavesdropping. The weight of the confrontation pushes down on me, and I lean back against the countertop, my hands shaking with adrenaline.

“I’m so sorry, Daze,” Elio says, his voice low and sincere. “I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

I shake my head, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “It’s not your fault. And trust me, I’m not crying over Logan hurting me. I’m just overwhelmed by this whole night. God, I’ve never seen him act so unhinged before.”

“He just can’t handle how jealous he is, how badly he fucked up when he lost you.” He steps closer and brushes his thumb across my cheek, wiping away a stray tear. “He’ll spend the rest of his life regretting what he did. Missing you, wishing he had you back. I know I would.”

The genuine warmth in his words gives me a surge of hope. After the deep pain of a broken heart, I didn’t know if I could ever feel like this again. Yet, with him, I feel more alive, more at home, than I ever have before.

And as much as Logan’s words sting, I know deep down that they’re not true. Elio won’t break my heart. I trust him with it, despite my past, fully and without restraint.

“Well, he’s just gonna have to live with that,” I say, leaning into his touch. “Because for me, there’s nothing left to miss.”

“Good,” he says. “Because I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know you aren’t.”

He tilts his head, brushing his lips tenderly against mine, lingering as if he’s savoring every second. And all the mistakes, the heartache, the pain of my past seems worthwhile now.

After all, it’s what led me back to him.

He draws back, eyes locked on mine. “Ready to get out of here, pretty girl?”

“More than ready.”

35

ELIO

Thanksgiving Day cameand went with Daisy’s family. It was a quiet, reserved night, with her parents acting as though they had little to no interest in what she’s been up to.

Meeting her mom was inconsequential, much like I expected, and her sister, Summer, was no better. In fact, she mostly glared in Daisy’s direction the whole two hours we spent together, painfully silent at their family table.

And then, their mother asked their personal chef to slice up a pumpkin pie. Once the pieces were doled out, she had the audacity to suggest we eat it upstairs.

I watched, helpless, as my girlfriend held in a wince, clearly disappointed by the outcome. But in true Daisy fashion, she found a way to smile through it all.

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