Page 92 of Lords of Ruin: Savage

“I just... needed a minute,” I mumble.

“Yeah? I can tell.” Jasmine steps closer, her gaze flicking down to the phone still clutched in my hand. “So, you talked to him?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

She exhales, her gaze unreadable. “And?”

I swallow hard, my lips trembling. “He told me to marry Vincent.”

Jasmine’s expression softens, but there’s still a fire behind her eyes. She kneels down in front of me, looking me dead in the eyes. “Then you need to marry Vincent, Willow.”

I shake my head, the words barely making it past my lips. “But I love Cast and Damien, too.”

Jasmine tilts her head, her voice quiet now but insistent. “I know you do. But love isn’t everything, not when it’s going to destroy what you have with Vincent.”

I can feel the tears threatening to spill. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You’re going to do what’s right,” Jasmine says, her tone suddenly sharp with resolve. “Vincent’s always been there for you,Willow. He’s not just the guy who happens to be in your life right now. He’s the guy who’s never given up on you. Not once.”

I close my eyes, the words stabbing into me. I’ve always known this. I’ve always known Vincent was there, waiting, fighting for me. But Cast… Cast had always felt like the pull of something darker, something forbidden.

“Do you love him?” Jasmine’s voice cuts through the silence.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Then you can’t leave him at the altar.” Jasmine’s voice is fierce now, and I feel it in every word. “You can’t betray him like that. You owe him everything you have, Willow. If you love him,reallylove him, you can’t do this to him. You’ll break him. You’ll break both of you.”

I shudder, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Ican’tbreak Vincent’s heart. Ican’t.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” I say softly.

Jasmine stands up, holding her hand out for me. “Then don’t. Marry Vincent. You’re meant to be with him, Willow. You’ve been through too much together.”

I feel like I’m drowning, my chest tight, my mind racing. Cast’s voice is still in my head, haunting me.

But Jasmine’s right.

I made my choice the moment I started this.

I take her hand, letting her pull me to my feet. My legs feel like jelly, my heart heavy, but Jasmine’s unwavering presence gives me just enough strength to stand.

She smiles faintly. “You’ve got a wedding to get to.”

I don’t know how I manage to get ready, but the next thing I know, Jasmine is checking the final touches on my dress, making sure every strand of my hair is in place. The shimmer of the gown, the delicate satin, it all feels so surreal. The weight of everything, of the people around me, of the vows I’m about to take, feels like a fog, something I’m stumbling through but not fully aware of.

“Are you ready?” Jasmine asks, a small but determined smile on her face.

I can barely nod, my throat dry. I’m not sure I’m ready for any of this, but here I am. Walking down the aisle.

Rudy stands by my side, his hand resting lightly on my arm. “You look beautiful,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. I force a smile, though it’s a hollow one, and look back at Jasmine, at Rudy—my two best friends, the ones who have stood by me even when I didn’t deserve it.

They both step beside me, and together we make our way to the grand entrance.

The doors swing open, the light blinding at first, and the smiling faces of Jasmine and her guys, but I don’t see them, though. Not really. Not when my eyes are already searching forhim.

I spot Vincent standing at the altar, his broad frame stiff with anticipation, his eyes locked on me. He mouths the wordprincessand the butterflies in my stomach erupt in chaotic flutters. The heat in my chest rises—like I’m suffocating, and yet... I feel alive in a way I’ve never known. I’mwalkingtoward him.Thisis what I’ve been waiting for.

But then something shifts. My chest tightens, sharp and unforgiving, like a vise closing in. My breath hitches, and the world starts to tilt around me.

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