Page 126 of F*ckboys

"I didn't want to believe it either," Roxy says softly. "But I saw messages between them discussing their plan. She played us all, Fallon. Including Aksel. She told him that she wanted to meet with him to talk aboutyou. She preyed on the fact she knows how much he cares about you, and that he was worried about how you'd been acting. And then your brother had the private investigator on Aksel's trail, and the photo opportunity presented itself, and then..."

The floor drops out from under me. My stomach churns with anger and regret—so much regret. I accused Aksel of the worst things, said such hateful words I can never take back. Ruined the best thing in my life over a venomous lie.

My head spins. It can't be true. Mia is—was—my best friend, she would never—but then I think of how distant she's been lately. The way she reacted when I told her Aksel and I had spent the night together.

"Where is he?" I whisper.

"Fallon—"

"Where is he, Roxy?" My voice breaks.

She sighs. "At his place. He's...he's a mess, Fallon. He thinks he lost you for good."

I close my eyes against the sting of tears. "I have to see him. I have to make this right."

"Go to him," Roxy says. "Just...be careful with his heart, okay? He loves you so damn much, and he doesn't deserve any more pain."

"I love him too," I say thickly. "I never stopped."

I hang up and grab my keys with a shaking hand. As I head out to my car, a wild hope blooms in my chest.

This isn't over.

I speed to Aksel's place, my heart pounding so hard I feel dizzy. What will I say to him? How can I possibly make up for the things I said?

When I pull up outside his condo, the lights are on, but his parking space is empty. My stomach drops—what if he's not here? What if he's gone somewhere to drown his sorrows, lost in a haze of alcohol and heartbreak—or even sex—because of me?

I race to the front door and pound on it with both fists. "Aksel! Aksel, please open the door!"

No response. Panic rises in my chest. I've already lost so much time with him, so many moments we'll never get back. I can't lose him completely. Not now, not when we have a second chance. I pound on his door one more time.

As tears blur my vision and I prepare to leave, defeated, the door creaks open. Aksel stands there, pale and glassy-eyed, in a pair of gray sweatpants and a wrinkled t-shirt. Even this disheveled, he's the hottest man I've ever seen. At the sight of me, a flicker of pain crosses his face before it smooths into a blank mask. His eyes are guarded, wary, but then I see a flicker of longing he can't hide.

"Fallon," he says tonelessly. "What are you doing here?"

The hope inside me ignites into a flame. We're not over. Not by a long shot. I give him a tremulous smile and say the words that will change everything: "We need to talk."

Aksel stares at me for a long moment, emotions flickering across his face too quickly to read. Then he steps back, opening the door wider in silent invitation.

I slip past him into the familiar space, hyper-aware of his presence behind me. The tension is so thick I could cut it with a knife, but there's something else too—a spark of possibility. Of new beginnings.

Aksel closes the door and turns to face me. His eyes are wary, guarded, but I see the longing he can't hide. "Well?" he asks, his voice rough. "You're here. Talk."

"Aksel, I'm so sorry," I blurt out. "Roxy told me the truth. She found proof that it was all a lie, a trick by Mia to break us apart. Or maybe something totally innocent that just looked really bad. I never should have believed Link and the private investigator over you. I'm so stupid, and stubborn, and I ruined everything because I didn't trust you enough. And I just felt so betrayed by two of the people closest to me, and—"

"Is this true?" He searches my face intently, as if looking for any hint of deception. "Do you mean it?"

"With all my heart." I reach for his hands, barely daring to hope when he doesn't pull away. "I love you, Aksel. I never stopped. And I want another chance...if you'll have me. I'm so sorry." My voice breaks on the last word. I've made so many mistakes, but this one cuts the deepest.

His eyes shine with tears as a smile slowly spreads across his face. "You infuriating, ridiculous woman," he says huskily. "How could I not?"

And then his arms are around me and I'm home, sobbing against his chest as he holds me close. We have a long roadahead to rebuild what was broken, but in this moment, it's enough to know that we'll walk it together.

"Fallon," he whispers in my ear. "I'm the one who should apologize. I should have fought for you, instead of letting you go so easily. I was a fool."

"We both were," I whisper. "But we can be fools together, if you'll have me." I close the distance between us, laying my hand on his chest, over his heart. It's racing as fast as mine, proof this means as much to him as it does to me.

Aksel cups my face in his hands, his gaze burning into mine. "Always," he murmurs, and then his lips are on mine, and we're lost in a kiss that feels like coming home.

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