Page 20 of The Burnt Heart

I rubbed my eyes, remembering the dinner Donato had booked and how insistent he’d been that he would provide investment, but only if we met him that night. He’d brought Augie Black with him, and I had been giddy with excitement. How could we have been so blind? We’d been trying so hard to save our future that we’d destroyed it. We’d let Adelaide down continuously, and now she had given up.

“We’re so sorry Adelaide, please don’t do this. We can work it out. If you just give us another chance, we can fix this,” Jesse pleaded, still on his knees in front of her. She looked resolutely away, blinking rapidly. His fists ground into his thighs.

“I don’t want this, Adelaide. I don’t want to be free.” Briar’s voice was raw. None of us wanted this, not even Adelaide, but she didn’t relent, only taking in a shaky breath.

“We’re done. It’s finished now. Don’t make this harder for us all, just go. I’m not going to change my mind.”

Jesse ground his jaw as he geared up to argue with her, but I waved a hand, motioning for him to get up. I yanked Briar out of his chair, his stupefied expression glazed.

“You can say you’re done, Adelaide, but this isn’t over. We’ll never be done, and we won’t stop until we prove it to you,” I promised, and her eyes flashed with frustration. We moved toward the door like zombies, struggling to get our muscles to work properly. “Expect us every day, because we won’t stop until we make up for what we’ve done.”

“What about Calder Place?” Briar whispered, his fingers tight on the doorknob. My gut twisted at his question, and I looked at Adelaide, hope dying inside me at her blank expression.

“Please,” I begged, knowing she understood what I was asking.

Don’t destroy the place that held so many beautiful memories for us.

Don’t wipe us away.

“It’ll be better this way. A fresh start, like it never happened.”

My chest twisted with a surge of agony, and I wondered how it didn’t give out from the wave of pain that cascaded over me. Jesse slammed his fist against the doorframe and shot Adelaide a disbelieving look.

“You don’t mean that.” He stepped back toward her before I gripped the back of his jacket. “You wouldn’t.”

“You’ll thank me when you meet the person who can give you what I can’t.” She sounded so lifeless that it made my heart break over again. How did we get here? There was no-one else for me. Adelaide was woven into my heart and soul deeper thanany words could ever touch. I would make her see the truth of it somehow.

“This isn’t us giving up Adelaide, you know how determined I can be.” I promised. The flash of pain over her face hurt me, too, but I couldn’t relent. Her eyes reflected pain, mirroring her heartbreak and for a moment I thought she might relent. But the emotion slid away, replaced by a chilly detachment.

“Two months.” Her chin jutted up.

“Two months?” we parroted, paused for her next words.

“Leave me be for two months. Forever would be preferable but I can see you haven’t realized how serious I am. Prove to me you can give me what I want and grant me space. You owe me this, at least.” Her lips turned down and she steepled her fingers on the table.

Space was the last thing I wanted to give Adelaide. I needed to press myself against her, imprint my apology through my skin. To suck the venom out of our betrayal with endless kisses and soothing touches. There was a brittleness to Adelaide right now, I knew if I put my hands on her, she might shatter. My stomach sank, a heavy weight taking over.

“It hurts too much to look at us right now. I understand, so we’ll make a deal. Peace for two months. But after that? Expect us at your door because we will win you back,” Jesse promised fiercely.

Adelaide’s jaw clenched, fire flashing in her eyes. But I dragged Jesse and Briar away before she could protest. She thought two months would make us change her mind, but I wouldn’t stop until I proved how wrong she was.

10

Logan

The house was quiet. Not the contented silence I used to enjoy with Adelaide curled up next to me. But one steeped in shame and regret. My skin itched in the confines of our apartment. The four walls closing in like a cell. Everywhere I looked there were reminders of Adelaide. From our photo frames to the ornate knife collection, she had failed to pack. It had been an anniversary gift from us, so I wondered if she would return for it. It seemed anything that had come from our hands was tainted now. Only a week had passed since Adelaide had left her key on the counter and walked out the door. The silence was eating me alive. I tucked my plane ticket in my jacket and hefted my backpack.

“Guys, I’m heading out,” I called down the hall, unsure whether I would get a response. I loitered with my carry-on. Thiswas not a decision they agreed with, but we were all coping in our own way. This was mine. Luckily, they proved me wrong.

“I hope you get the middle seat.” Briar slipped out of his room and offered a short, grim smile. Jesse followed and slapped me on the back, the sting reproachful.

“I hope security pulls you aside for a cavity search,” Jesse joked. Disapproval loud between his words, but he held his tongue. We’d already argued about it, over and over. They saw me leaving as a betrayal. But I knew this was the right way. Nobody could bully Adelaide into anything, despite what Jesse might hope. She would not give in to persistent badgering and there were only so many times you could say sorry. Eventually, it was about words and actions. Briar couldn’t comprehend that this was part of my process.

My heart pulled me to Adelaide, no matter how hard I tried to stay away. Every corner of the city was a reminder of her—I wanted her so badly that my skin ached. I had gone my entire life without allowing myself physical contact, but now all I could think about was holding her.

“We promised we’d give Adelaide space. I’m not giving up on getting her back,” I reminded them, but I could tell the words didn’t have any effect. Jesse and Briar thought I was running away. In a small, dark place inside of me, I suppose I was. Part of me wanted to prove Adelaide wrong. To satisfy the wanderlust and come back to her. Always come back to her. If the cozy pictures online had any truth to them, she was already dating Ray Donato. When I saw his arm wrapped around her shoulders, my heart stopped. I couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing. They looked so good together, a beautiful, perfect couple. I couldn’t stay in this city and see any more photos of her with him. It sent me down a spiral, knowing her father was likely ecstatic.

“Sure, keep in touch. Let us know when you get there.” Briar stared at his shoes.

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