Page 145 of The Bittersweet Bond

"Where does this go?" Ben asked, straightening up.

"Over there, in the side section," she said, pointing toward the half-finished tents at the other end of the courtyard.

Bas gripped the clip in his hand a little tighter before dropping it onto the table a little too loudly. Both of them turned to him, but Evin spoke first. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, forcing his tone to sound more relaxed. "I just figured I’d help here before Ben has to do everything on his own."

Ben let out a quiet snort, not taking his eyes off the roll in his hand. "Appreciate the concern, man."

"I’m always thinking of you," Bas stated without emotion, grabbing another box. It wasn’t a direct jab, but Evin caught the sharpness in his tone. Her gaze flickered between them briefly before she turned back to Ben.

"Okay, let’s split up," she said, nodding toward the tents. "Bas, you could—"

"I’ll head over first," Bas cut in before she could finish. His steps were quick, almost hurried, as he walked away toward the tents. The breeze was cool, but the tension inside him made it feel nonexistent. He could feel his heart beating a little faster, and he hated that this entire situation was throwing him off balance.

When he reached the tent, he tossed the clips onto a chair and placed his hands on his hips. This was ridiculous. He knew he could trust Ben by now. The guy was reliable, decent—everything Bas should respect about him. But then there were these moments when Ben looked at Evin. Too openly, too warmly. And that was something Bas couldn't ignore, no matter how hard he tried.

"Bas?" Evin’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was only a few steps away, watching him with a mix of concern and amusement.

"What?" he asked, sharper than he had intended.

She raised an eyebrow. "You look tense. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t about to flip the table over."

"I’m fine," he stated without emotion, trying to regain some composure. "Ben just wanted to remind us all how perfect he is."

Evin chuckled softly but stepped closer. "You know he’s not trying to prove anything, right? He’s just helping." As she tried to soothe him, Bas found himself noticing her heart-shaped lips again and the way they moved.

"...can you come here for a sec?" Evin started walking, her expression unreadable—a mix of determination and something that made him hesitate.

With a nod, he followed her, though an uneasy feeling gnawed at his chest. They stepped into a small side tent, away from the commotion, and as Bas entered, he saw Ben already standing there. Of course. Hands on his hips, he looked so relaxed it was as if he had just been teleported there—because he just had to be everywhere she was.

"What’s going on?" Bas asked, his eyes shifting from Ben to Evin. And there it was again, that pull in his chest that he both despised and couldn’t shake. He knew it was irrational—Ben had never given him a reason to doubt him. But that didn’t change the fact that he didn’t want him around her.

"You two." Evin crossed her arms, her voice calm but firm. "We need to clear this up."

We? Bas felt his jaw tighten. It sounded like she was blaming both of them for… whatever this was. But it wasn’t on him. He was the one respecting boundaries.

"There’s nothing to clear up," Bas replied shortly, though his gaze lingered on Ben. The guy stood there like he was amused by the whole situation, even though he hadn’t said a word. Bas could almost feel the grin, even if it wasn’t visible.

"Really?" Evin asked, stepping closer, her tone softer but carrying that weight he could never escape. "Because I see it differently. And before we keep going, I want this settled."

Bas forced himself to take a deep breath, but it didn’t help. The room suddenly felt smaller, and his gaze flickered to Evin. She stood there, determined and calm, and for a moment, he hated how much he wanted her. How much he wanted to be the kind of guy who didn’t take every confrontation as a personal attack.

“Evin, this is ridiculous,” Ben muttered, his brow furrowed slightly. “I don’t have a problem with him.”

Of course, you don’t, Bas thought, scoffing quietly. Why would you? You’re always the good guy, aren’t you?

“And I don’t have a problem with you,” Bas shot back, though his tone betrayed the opposite. “Because I don’t give a damn about you.”

The words came too fast, too defensive, and he knew Evin wouldn’t like them. She raised her hand before either of them could speak again.

“Bas…” The way she said his name. That soft tone... “If you don’t at least try, you’re only making it harder for everyone.”

He looked at her, trying to untangle the knot tightening in his chest, but it was impossible. She didn’t sound accusatory, not even disappointed. It was almost worse—she sounded like she believed in him. And he knew he couldn’t mess that up. Not again.

For a moment, silence settled between them, only the muffled sounds of voices from the main hall filtering in. Bas closed his eyes briefly, then turned to Ben.

“I don’t have a problem with you. As long as you know your limits.”

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