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“Tell me what’s wrong, and I can help you,” I beg, bringing her face just inches from mine, fighting the urge to kiss her.

“I need to get back to my table.”

“Mia cara, please, tell me,” I whisper, my tone desperate.

She shakes her head. “Whatever we had, it’s over. You need to let me go. I’m with Patrick now.”

“If I mean nothing, if we meant nothing, why are you still wearing my bracelet?” It gives me hope that maybe we can claw our way back to each other, but I need to understand what’s going on with her.

“I was yours, and you pushed me away too. I’m with Patrick now. You need to accept that and let me go.” She sniffs, and I’m struggling to believe her words and internally kicking myself because she’s right. I pushed her away.

“You may have only been all mine for a moment, and maybe you’ll be his forever, and I’ll have to find a way to accept that, but I won’t ever be able to fully let you go. Not when you found a way into my dark heart and left your mark.”

I lean in to brush my lips with hers, but she pulls away, tears now falling freely. “I’m sorry,” she says, a slight crack in her voice. I release her and she walks away from me again.

And I let her, again.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Gabriella

It’s Brad’s birthday, and I don’t want to be here. It’s been weeks since I saw him at the MET, and every day without him becomes more painful than the last. But if I hadn’t come tonight, it would have raised questions, which would have meant more lies, and I am already struggling to carry the many I already have. I couldn’t face another. Ali came here with but she’s barely said a word, but she assures me she’s just recovering from the flu.

Patrick has been blowing up my phone all day, and I’ve ignored every call. I told him I had plans this weekend. He only seems to want me when he needs me. Needs me to be his arm candy or go on a lunch date with my parents. We bumped into Harry last night, and I could see he wasn’t convinced by my display when I introduced Patrick as my boyfriend. That term and Patrick shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, but whatcan I do? I’ve been doing everything he’s asked and yet he still hasn’t ended my suffering.

I may look confident on the outside, but on the inside, I’m in so much pain it’s hard to function, and that pain only increases when I see Brad leaning against the bar dress in a black dress shirt, the top two buttons open, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow showing the tattoos that I could draw from memory, and black pants. His facial hair is a little longer since I saw him last, and my body is finding it hard to adjust to feelings of craving him, with the need to run from him. Our eyes hold each other in a way our bodies can’t. It’s only when Ria calls my name that I am snapped from my trance.

“Ahh, Ri, look at you.”

She rubs her growing belly. “I know. This baby is not shy. She’s already letting the world know she’s on her way.”

“She?” I say excitedly.

Jack chuckles. “We don’t know if it’s a she, but we have a feeling it is.”

“You are both destined to be girl parents, I can see it.” I beam with pride watching them just be in love. Simple, uncomplicated love, and I wonder if that’s something I’ll ever experience.

I make my way over to Brad, leaving everyone to chatter amongst themselves, knowing it will be best to rip the band aid off and say hi, rather than spend the rest of the evening avoiding him. With every step I take, his eyes travel up from my feet, up my body to my face.

“Gabriella,” he greets, his voice as smooth as the whiskey he’s drinking.

“Happy thirty-fifth birthday,” I say, my voice sounding light and sugary as I lean in and hug him. I can do this. I can act like everything’s fine. I’ve been doing it my whole life. I can act like he means nothing more than a friend to me. I can pretend Ihaven’t fallen for him and that it doesn’t physically pain me to be here in front of him. Yeah, I can do it.

Lies.

I think it will be a quick embrace, but when his hand finds the base of my spine and pulls me closer, his hot breath in my ear, I know I’m screwed.

“You look beautiful.” I freeze, waiting for him to release me, but he doesn’t. It’s only when Harley shouts my name that I break the embrace and stand awkwardly. I hold a finger up to let her know I’ll be a second.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t bring a gift with me. I wasn’t sure if you would want me here, so...” My words trail off, and I chew on the inside of my mouth in anticipation of what he will say, and when he speaks, my heart flutters.

“You being here is the only gift I wanted.” He twirls the glass of amber liquid in his hand before drinking the rest and placing the glass on the bar.

“I better go see what Harley wanted,” I say, gesturing over my shoulder. I don’t wait for a reply. I turn and leave, feeling his gaze burning into my back as I head back to the group around the table and pray with every step that I can keep it all together and bury my feelings for the evening.

There’s something off. A thickness in the atmosphere that I can’t quite put my finger on. I’ve managed to avoid chatting to Brad as much as possible. When the waitress brought over an ice bucket of champagne and sparklers to the table and spent far longer than needed with her hand on his arm, it stirred up a level ofjealousy I didn’t know I was capable of. I wanted to tear her hand off and tell her he was mine. But he isn’t, and I only have myself and my stupidity to blame.

“Ooh, who’s the hot blonde at one o’clock?” Kate slurs, sipping on her mojito. I turn to see where she’s facing, and my blood runs cold when I see Patrick dressed in navy pants and a white polo shirt, looking around. He stops and grins when he spots me.