Page 42 of Theo

“Morning.”

“I made you coffee.”

“Okay.” I’m not sure how to act right now. I was mad at him, I know I was, but I’m finding it difficult to pull up my anger when I’m this hungover.

Theo takes pity on my poor, confused brain. “Sit on the couch, I’ll bring it to you.”

Nodding, I move to the massive couch between us. It’s L-shaped, leather, and potentially the most comfortable thing I have ever curled up on. Theo clearing his throat makes me open my eyes, and I look up to see him standing there with a full coffee mug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” A blanket appears out of thin air, draping across my lap. He tucks it around me, careful not to jostle the mug in my hand.

“Thank you…again,” I joke, meeting his crooked smile with one of my own.

Theo moves back into the kitchen, the smell of bacon wafting through the air within moments of his return to the stove. He brings me a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in the living room, then sits on the couch to eat his breakfast. It doesn’t escape my notice that two full couch cushions separate the spot I’m sitting at from the one he chose.

We eat in silence, but it only lasts until the final bit of bacon passes my lips. Theo takes the empty plate from me, stacking it with his plate on the coffee table.

“Charity,” he waits for me to turn in his direction before he continues. “We need to talk.”

If that isn’t a death sentence for our relationship, I don’t know what is.

TWELVE

THE BEGINNING

THEO

“What do we need to talk about?”

What a fucking question. “You asked for time, and I intended to honor that until Merrick called and said you needed a ride home from the bar. I want you to know I wasn’t ignoring your request, and I am happy to give you more time if you need it.”

“But you want to talk.”

“I always want to talk to you, Viper.”

She makes a face. “I always want to talk to you, too.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I give her a small smile, but she doesn’t return it. “I’ll take you to your car.”

Charity doesn’t say anything when I take our plates into the kitchen. She doesn’t move a muscle when I walk past the couch and into the bedroom beyond.

I’ve just started digging through the closet when I hear the door close behind me. Instinct has my muscles bunching, but I force myself to relax as I turn to face her. She’s leaning against the door, her head hanging down as she studies her bare feet.

“Charity?”

“What do you want from me, Theo?”

Ah, fuck. I guess we’re having this conversation now. “Everything.”

“What does that mean, though?”

Dark eyes meet mine across the room, pain and sorrow filling her gaze with a weight I wish I could take from her. “It means...everything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, the good and the bad. I want to wake up to you every morning and go to sleep with you every night. I want to adopt a dog and maybe have a kid. Or have a dog and adopt a kid. Or have two dogs and no kids, if it will make you happy because that’s what I really want, Charity. I want you to be happy. And I want to be the one who makes you happy, but I can’t do that if you leave. I’m stuck here. I will die inside the borders of Forest Falls. It’s not only my destiny but also my duty.”

“I can’t stay, Theo.”

As much as I told myself I was prepared for that response, when it finally comes, it breaks me. I can feel my last tendrils of hope shatter as they hit the ground. She’s leaving, and I can’t follow her. Not with the Father causing trouble. Not with her own dad’s terrible decisions threatening her life every other day. I cannot risk her safety.

“Okay.”

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