Page 66 of Stalk Me

His expression shifts from guarded to confused. “What are you talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply, not seeing the point of going into the details. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I wanted to come here to look you in the eyes and say thank you. I wanted to make sure that you were safe, healthy, and happy. Are you, Alex? Happy?”

I can see Alex choosing his words carefully. The fact is, he’s always been good at these kinds of subtle details. Too good, maybe. After everything that has happened, my trust is as shattered as the teacup that fell from my hands to the expensive floor.

“Yes, I’m healthy and happy,” he finally responds and seems to mean it. “I won’t lie; it took me a while to get my shit together, but I think I’m on a good track now.”

A lightness spreads through my chest. Despite everything, knowing that he’s recovered from my selfish actions gives me a strange sense of peace.

“I’m glad, Alex, and I really wanted to apologize for the way I treated you,” I tell him. “You deserved so much more than a toxic bitch like me.”

Alex laughs. “Oh, come on. You’re definitely not a bitch. And I was hardly an angel either.”

“There is nothing I did that you deserved, and if I could take it back?—”

“But we can’t,” Alex interrupts and nods. “Still, as far as my shitty love life goes, you’re a faint but fond memory from the past. A good girl turned not so good. Lesson learned. We weren’t good for each other, but that doesn’t mean we were always bad. I’m sorry for not being what you needed, Luna. I hope you’re happy now.”

“I’m getting there,” I say, not bothering to correct him. I’ve done enough damage for one lifetime. “Thank you for still trying to save me. You’re a good man, Alex.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles and shakes his head, “a total gentleman, right? Okay, how’s this: You’re welcome. I’m happy you’re alive and breathing. I think you’ve suffered enough, and I do wish you happiness.”

I force a smile, trying to ignore the unfamiliar hollow sensation that threatens to engulf me. It’s like standing in the doorway between two rooms—one containing everything I once thought I wanted, and the other holding everything I’ve fought to build. The ache isn’t for what might have been with Alex, I realize, but for the girl I was when I loved him—before Shark Bay, before I gathered the strength to fight my family’s darkness. “Me too.”

“Hug?” Alex asks, a small smile on his face.

I step closer, allowing him to envelop me into his arms. This—he—was my home for a long time. Maybe even my first one. “Meeting you was the first time I felt something real. You saw parts of me no one else did, and it terrified me,” I whisper, giving him one last silent confession. “I pushed you away because I was afraid of what would happen if I let myself need you. And then, when my parents threatened to hurt you… it broke something in me.”

“Thank you for telling me,” he murmurs against my hair. “And for coming back. I spent a long time wondering what happened between us. It sucks living with ‘what-ifs.’”

I cling to him, allowing myself this one moment of comfort before I pull away. His familiar scent—pine and clean laundry—brings back memories of stolen kisses in empty classrooms, of confessions whispered in the dark.

“I never stopped caring about you,” I admit, looking up at him. “Even when I was with other people at Shark Bay, even when I was trying so hard to forget you… part of me also always wondered what could have been if things were different.”

Something shifts in his gaze, darkening it. His hand moves to my face, thumb brushing across my cheekbone in a touch so achingly familiar that my breath catches. For a suspended moment, I’m transported back to who we were before everything shattered—two broken people finding temporary solace in each other’s damage.

“Luna,” he whispers, his voice dropping to that register that once made my knees weak. “I?—”

I press my fingers to his lips, stopping him before he can say something we might both regret. “Don’t. Please. I didn’t come here to complicate your life again. I just needed closure.”

“And what if I don’t want closure?” His hand slides to the nape of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. “What if I’ve spent a year thinking about what I would do if I ever saw you again?”

Heat blooms in my chest, spreading through my veins like wildfire. This is dangerous—I know it, and I can feel it in the way my body instinctively leans toward his, in the memory of how perfectly we once fit together. But I’m not that person anymore. I’ve fought too hard and lost too much to slip back into old patterns.

“I can’t,” I say, the words costing me more than he’ll ever know. “I’m with Erik now. And you deserve someone who hasn’t been… broken the way I have.”

Pain flashes across his features, quickly masked. “You’re not broken, Luna. You’re a survivor. And for what it’s worth… I’m proud of you. For getting away from your parents. For finding the strength to fight back.”

Tears prick at my eyes, unexpected and unwelcome. “Thank you for saying that.”

He steps back, putting the necessary distance between us. His eyes lock on mine, a gentle smile touching his lips. “I’m really glad to see you again. You look better. Healthier. Like you’re finally finding peace.”

“I’m trying,” I say, returning his smile. “Some days are harder than others. But I’m not alone anymore. That helps.”

Alex walks me to the door. “Take care of yourself, Luna.”

“You too.” I hesitate, then reach up to touch his face one last time, memorizing the feel of him. “Be happy, Alex. You deserve it.”

“So do you,” he says, covering my hand with his own. “And, Luna? If you ever need anything—anything at all—I’m here. No strings attached.”

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