Page 33 of Off-Limits

And then, suddenly, he's there—standing off to one side with his bags at his feet, talking to someone on the phone. His uniform is crisp and pressed, his stance stiff and military-like. He looks exactly like he always does when he's in active-duty mode, but something about him seems... harder. Colder.

It's because of me, isn't it?

As we approach, Ryan's eyes meet mine first, and I can see the shock—and anger—in them as he takes in my presence. But then Mia steps up beside me, and his gaze shifts to her, softening slightly before hardening again when he sees how close she is standing to me. She's making a statement.

"Ryan," Mia says tentatively, taking a step forward as if approaching a wild animal that might bolt at any moment. "You're early."

He hangs up the phone without a word of goodbye or explanation, slipping it into his pocket before speaking to us.

"You two have some fucking nerve," he growls. His eyes dart between Mia and me, lingering on our joined hands for a brief, intense moment before coming back up to my face.

Shit, this is going to be more difficult than I thought.

"Ryan," I say, taking a deep breath before continuing. "We can explain—"

"Explain?" he cuts me off sharply, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the scene before him. "You mean like how you explained that you loved Mia over the phone?"

Mia flinches beside me, but I don't dare look at her right now. Not with Ryan's fury practically radiating off of him. A single mistake and this could turn violent.

"I know what I said," I tell him evenly. "And I stand by every word."

Ryan's face darkens even further at that, and for a moment, I think he might actually physically attack me in the middle of the airport. But then Mia steps forward again, placing herself between us like a shield.

"Ryan," she says softly, looking up at her brother with pleading eyes. "Just listen to what Jake has to say."

Ryan looks down at his little sister, his expression softening despite himself. He's always had a hard time staying mad at her—she's just too damn charming for her own good. It's something I understand well.

"Fine," he says after pondering his next words for a few seconds, taking a deep breath and stepping back slightly as if giving us permission to speak our piece. "But you'd better make it good."

I nod, turning my attention fully onto Ryan now. This is my chance to explain myself—to tell him why I did what I did. I've thought about how to do this for a while now.

"First of all," I say, keeping my voice steady and calm despite the chaos inside me. "I know that I broke a promise when I got involved with Mia. And for that, I'm truly sorry." I pause, waiting for Ryan to respond, but he just stares at me silently, his face an impassive mask.

"But," I continue when it's clear that he isn't going to interrupt me, "I want you to understand why I did what I did. It wasn't some thoughtless decision made on a whim."

Ryan raises an eyebrow at that, but still doesn't say anything. He probably already knows what I'm going to say next, but still, better to make sure there are no misunderstandings. Not any more.

"Mia and I... we have history," I explain carefully, choosing my words with care as I try to navigate the delicate line between protecting her privacy and giving Ryan the truth he deserves. Don't want to share too much with him, after all. Just enough. "We've had feelings for each other for years now—feelings that neither of us could control or ignore any longer."

Ryan's expression hardens at that, and I know that he's remembering the conversation we had all those years ago, the one where he made me promise never to touch his little sister.

"I know what you're thinking," I say, before he can voice the thoughts written all over his face. "But you have to believe me when I tell you that this isn't some fleeting infatuation or a stupid mistake." I take a deep breath before delivering the final blow. "I love Mia, Ryan. And she loves me too."

It's not the first time I've said that to him, but it's the first time I've done it in person, and that's a whole different beast.

There's a long pause as we stand there in silence—Mia and me waiting with bated breath for Ryan's reaction, while he seems to be processing everything I've just told him.

"Love," he says flatly, his voice completely devoid of any emotion. "You expect me to believe that you're in love with my little sister?"

I nod firmly, not breaking eye contact with Ryan for even a second. "I do. Why else do you think I'm doing this?"

He considers this for another moment before speaking again. "And what about the promise you made to me?" he asks. "What happened to all that talk about doing right by her and staying away from her because I asked you to?"

"I tried," I admit, feeling my own anger beginning to rise in response to Ryan's accusatory tone. I've actually tried way too hard, I think. "I really did. But in the end, it wasn't enough." I shake my head, searching for the words to explain myself better. "It's like... loving someone is like being on a boat out at sea with no oars or engine. You can try to steer away from them all you want, but when it comes down to it, you're at the mercy of the waves and currents that bring you together."

Ryan rolls his eyes at that, clearly not impressed by my attempt at a metaphor. I admit it was bad, but it still conveyed my thoughts.

"I don't give a fuck about boats," he says sharply. "I care about the fact that you lied to me and broke your promise."

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