Page 63 of Rhys: and the girl who was always his

I nod. “With everything I have.”

She nods once, firm. “Then go prove it.”

I don’t wait another second.

The door slams behind me, and I’m already pulling out of the driveway before the engine finishes turning over.

I drive fast. The roads blur past me, the familiar landscape flashing by like background noise in a movie I don’t care about. My hands are tight on the wheel, my jaw clenched so hard it hurts.

Every hour I drive, I think of her.

Curled up on the couch in my hoodie. Laughing at my terrible attempts at pancakes. Softly snoring beside me in the middle of the night, mouth slightly open, arm sprawled across my chest.

She left because she thought she was protecting me.

She thought she was doing the noble thing.

But all she did was leave a crater.

And I’m done sitting inside the wreckage pretending I can breathe.

I drive for hours. Only stopping for food and fuel.

I need to get to my girl.

The turnoff to Smalls property is rough and barely lit. The tires crunch on gravel as I pull up the long, winding driveway. I cut the engine and sit there for a second, gripping the steering wheel, my pulse pounding.

I have no idea what I’m about to walk into.

Maybe she’ll slam the door in my face.

Maybe she’ll cry.

Maybe she’ll scream.

I’ll take all of it.

Because loving her means taking the bad with the good.

And if I have to fight like hell to remind her that she’s never been a burden to me—then that’s what I’ll do.

I climb out of the car and head for the porch, heart in my throat, fists balled at my sides.

Because I didn’t come this far just to let her go.

I came to bring her home.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

ALLY

The knock at the door is hard and insistent.

I freeze.

Smalls looks up from the book he’s reading, his jaw tightening. I already know who it is before he even moves.

My stomach twists as he sets the book down and stands, giving me one last look before heading towards the door.

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