Page 63 of The Bittersweet Bond

Bas dropped onto the bench, rolling his shoulders, but the tension in his body wouldn’t ease. He wasn’t even sure why he was here—lifting, pushing himself past exhaustion—like any of it would help. His muscles burned, his heartbeat pounded in his ears, but the real weight sat somewhere else.

Bellamy had been watching him for a while, casually finishing another set before finally speaking up.

“Dude, you’re working out like you’ve got something to prove. You planning to fight someone, or just yourself?” His tone was light, but his eyes weren’t.

Bas wiped the sweat off his forehead with his towel, taking a deliberate sip of water. “Just focused,” he muttered.

“Focused,” Bellamy echoed, stretching out his arms. “Come on, man. Spill it. Or is this about your little rollercoaster with Evin?”

The comment made something in Bas tighten. His grip on the weights faltered for a fraction of a second, barely noticeable—except Bellamy noticed everything.

“You’re being dramatic,” Bas said, forcing out a laugh that didn’t quite land.

Bellamy didn’t buy it. “Right. Because you definitelydon’tbring her up every five minutes.”

Bas sighed, dragging a hand down his face. He hesitated, then gave in. “She’s… I don’t know. I’ve never doubted myself this much before. One second, everything’s fine, and the next, it’s like I don’t know how to reach her.”

Bellamy set his weights down, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “Sounds like she’s got you hooked. So why not just talk to her? Drop the tough guy act. You both pretend to be indifferent, but anyone with eyes can see that’s crap.”

Bas shook his head, exhaling sharply. “You know it’s not that simple.”

Bellamy raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? And why not?”

“I like control,” Bas admitted, his voice lower now. “With her, I don’t have any. She messes with my head. I swear, I could have her in my arms and still feel like I’m losing her.”

He dropped the weights onto the rack with a dull *thud*. His thoughts felt just as heavy.She’s driving me crazy. And I don’t even know if it’s worth it.

Bellamy let out a short laugh. “Maybe she is worth it. Sounds like she is.” He grabbed his towel, draping it over his shoulder. “Why do you always have to play the untouchable asshole? Maybe it’s time to show her who you actually are.”

Bas let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. “And say what exactly? ‘Hey, Evin, I have no fucking clue what I’m doing with you, but you’re in my head 24/7’?”

Bellamy rolled his eyes. “Not exactly, dumbass. But she’s already seen through your bullshit. And after what happened at school, you owe it to her to step up.”

Bas stilled mid-rep. Bellamy’s words cut through the static in his head. His mind flashed back to Evin’s face—her anger, her disappointment, the way she had looked at him like he wasn’t even worth her time.

Bellamy’s grin softened, but his voice stayed firm. “Look, man. She’s not the type to wait around forever. Get your act together before it’s too late.”

Bas met his gaze properly this time.

Maybe Bellamy was right. Maybe it was time to stop pretending.

Because the truth was, Evin wasn’t just a passing thought.

She was everywhere.

And if he kept running from that, he was going to lose her for good.

But not yet.

As much as he hated admitting it, now wasn’t the time. He’d wait—let the dust settle, let things cool down. Maybe then, when enough time had passed, he’d figure out what to say. Maybe then, she’d actually listen.

Chapter 17

The Art Of Distraction

Evin

The November wind swept coolly through the streets, carrying the damp scent of fallen leaves. Evin crossed her arms, her fingers tracing absent patterns on the inside of her elbows as if the motion could ease her restlessness.

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