Page 4 of Rhys: and the girl who was always his

Ella looks like she might cry, which is saying something because Ella doesn’t cry. She kicks things. She throws shoes. She cuts up people’s bow ties. She doesn’t fall apart in public.

“I’m coming with you,” she declares, fire in her voice.

“No, babe. Go home.” Arden’s focus shifts to Chase. “Make sure she does.” Chase nods, staying quiet. He moves to Ella’s side, but Yasmin beats him to her. She pulls Ella into a hug and whispers something in her ear.

“I’m going with you,” Rhys interrupts. He’s already pushing back from the table.

“That’s not a good idea.” Dominic levels Rhys with a stare.

“Arden is entitled to a lawyer. You can’t stop me,” Rhys retorts while grabbing his phone from the table.

“You’re not even a lawyer yet,” Dominic mutters.

Rhys’s voice turns to steel. “I’m close enough. Arden needs representation. He gets me.”

Dominic hesitates, but it’s already a done deal. Rhys and Arden fall into step with the officers, disappearing through the door.

I don’t breathe until Rhys returns—just for a moment—and crouches beside me. His eyes meet mine, and it’s like being slammed against the wall. I can see all the emotions waging a war in his eyes; they are the only thing that clues me in to what he is feeling. Everything else about him screams, calm and in control.

“I need you to stay with Ashley,” he murmurs. “You are the only one I trust to look after her.”

The words land like a dagger in my chest.

I shouldn’t be this girl. The one who nods and sacrifices and bleeds quietly on the sidelines for the boy she’ll never have. But I am. Because I love him.

I always have.

I nod. It’s the only thing I can do.

Rhys squeezes my hand. Then he’s gone, disappearing through the door again.

Looking over at Ashley, I see her lips tremble. She looks like she’s barely holding herself together.

I slide out of my chair and wrap an arm around her shoulders, “Let’s get you home.” I don’t want to do this, but I will because Rhys asked me to.

She nods, silent and small. I lead us out into the night, our group trailing behind us.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

It was just a typical night out for us.

But now everything has changed.

Nothing will ever be the same again.

CHAPTERTWO

RHYS

The car ride feels like struggling underwater, each moment submerged in a silence that crushes you rather than rescues you.

It’s not the kind of quiet that can be chased away by cranking up the radio or mindlessly tapping at your phone screen.

This silence is a heavy, oppressive fog that wraps around my chest with every pulse of the engine and every turn of the wheels, squeezing the air out of my lungs.

Arden has been mute since we first pulled away from the curb. He sits rigid, arms tightly folded over his broad chest, and his jaw is so set that every clench hints at a potential snap.

His eyes flash with the tension of a man battling an inner fury—one look that screamsif you say a single careless word, you’ll unleash a storm. And so, I hold my tongue.

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