Page 122 of The Bittersweet Bond

Shecrossed her arms again, closing herself off. "Seems like you’ve got more important things to handle."

Bas clenched his jaw. His first instinct was to say something—anything—to stop this from spiraling.

But what the fuck was he supposed to say?

That Cat meant nothing? That she didn’t cross his mind until she called? That Evin was the only thing that had ever really mattered?

It wouldn’t be enough.

Because she had history with guys like him. And he had a history of screwing things up.

And right now?

She was looking at him like she was just waiting for him to prove her right.

"What happened with Cat… it means nothing." His voice was rough, and he stepped closer, close enough to feel the warmth of her body. "She is part of my past. We had fun for a while, but that’s not who I am anymore."

He lifted both hands slightly, as if to emphasize that he had nothing to hide. But his fingers twitched—restless, betraying the turmoil raging inside him.

For a moment, there was nothing but the music. The bass swallowed their words, the flashing lights cast shadows across their faces, making this conversation feel like a scene in a movie.

Evin shook her head slightly, a mix of disappointment and understanding shimmering in her eyes. Her fingers toyed with the necklace around her neck—a small, almost imperceptible sign that she was trying to steady herself, trying to sort through the emotions tumbling inside her.

"You know, Sebastian," she started, her voice firm and clear, though her gaze dropped to the floor. "I'm done being just an option for you. Either you’re all in, or you’re not in at all."

She lifted her head again, locking eyes with him. They were hard now, but her hands hung limply by her sides, her entire body radiating exhaustion from this never-ending battle.

Every single word landed like a punch, and something inside him stirred—a flicker of pride for her, tangled with the sharp sting of panic.

He let out a quiet, humorless laugh, one that revealed more of his insecurities than he cared to admit. "You’re more than just an option, Evin. You must know that by now." His voice dropped as he admitted the next truth. "But… I don’t know if I’m everything you’re looking for."

Her eyes stayed cold, but her voice softened. "Maybe you should figure that out before you promise me anything."

She let go of his hand—slowly, deliberately—making sure he understood exactly what that meant. Then, as she turned, she pressed her lips together, a telltale sign that she was barely holding it together.

Bas felt the emptiness in his chest like a painful echo as he watched her walk away.

“No matter what happens—I always come back to you. Can’t you see that?”, he said.

His hands dropped uselessly to his sides, but his jaw clenched, his gaze locked onto her as if he could physically hold her back just by looking.

Every step she took widened the gap between them.

And then—A sharp, burning sensation surged through him. A gut-wrenching certainty that if he let her go now, that distance would only keep growing.

No. No second-guessing, no wasted moments.

He moved before he even realized it.

Her confused eyes flicked over his face, searching, and he felt the words ignite inside him, scorching through his chest like wildfire.

In one swift motion, he grabbed her, pulled her back—firm, unyielding. A single moment of clarity in the chaos.

And without giving her a chance to protest, he hooked an arm around her waist, lifted her clean off the ground, and threw her over his shoulder.

"Bas! Are you out of your damn mind?" Her voice rang out, laced with indignation, but there was a glint in her eyes—one she couldn’t quite hide.

"Looks like it."

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