Page 55 of Only You

Demir didn’t pry into what that meant. Jack would tell him sooner or later, whether he wanted to know or not. Instead, he looked over Jack’s shoulder. ‘Where’s Selene?’ Demir smirked. ‘Let me guess: her hair got wet.’

Jack chuckled and, for some reason, it made Demir narrow his eyes in suspicion. It wasn’t like him to roll with quips like that.

‘Hardly. She had to stay late at school to catch up on some assignments, but she’ll meet us at the apartment later.’

Part of Demir bristled at the casual way Jack assumed he would be going over after practice, but he also couldn’t blame him. He had spent more time there in the last few weeks before their holiday than in his own home. It was only natural that he was invited.

‘In the meantime,’ Jack heaved himself into the ring, leaning on one of the corners, ‘let’s see what you’ve been up to while I’ve been gone.’

Benny met Demir in the centre of the ring, and they began.

They threw themselves into practice, going through all the drills from top to bottom.

Jack’s energy was higher than usual as though he was mere moments from jumping in, excitement pouring from him in a way that Demir hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘That’s it!’ Jack clapped. ‘That’s fucking it, D. Finally got that shit down.’

‘I been mastering it.’ Demir wiped off the sweat from his face as Benny made his way to the bathroom. ‘And with your jumping around, you might as well be in the ring with me.’

‘Hey, don’t let the knee fool you. I can still throw a couple blows,’ Jack defended. ‘Jump in, old man. I’ll make sure not to knock you out.’

Jack laughed but shrugged off his jacket. ‘Don’t forget I taught you everything you know, pretty boy.’ He threw it on the ground and put his hands in front of his face the way he’d shown Demir hundreds of times.

Demir smirked as he mirrored the stance.

They circled each other, throwing out a couple of playful jabs and talking shit.

Jack’s speed and accuracy were surprisingly good considering he hadn’t fought in years, but there were plenty of openings.

Despite that, Demir never took advantage of them, keeping the match friendly; it wasn’t about winning.

If anything, it brought him back to the beginning of everything.

Though similar in skill, Jack and Demir only met in the ring once. How they ended up working together was a blur of memories and conveniences. Times like this, he was reminded why they had become friends, even if he had betrayed him.

Demir waited for the regret to hit him, but it stayed at bay. He had already decided: he wouldn’t interfere with Jack’s relationship. There was no reason to make things difficult if the kiss was a one-time thing. He only hoped Selene didn’t regret it. He could deal with everything but that.

‘You better not be fighting.’

They looked to the side of the ring where Selene was resting against the side of the ring and Demir’s heart lifted at the site of her so close after being gone so long.

Her smile was soft and welcoming even though her eyes were tired.

He took a step towards her, but Jack beat him to the ropes, pressing a kiss to her cheek before smiling at her fondly.

‘Nothing wrong with a few blows every now and then,’ he teased her.

The moment snuffed out the light in Demir, leaving a dark cloud over him and a sour taste in his mouth.

Neither of them seemed to notice as they stared lovingly at each other, and he swallowed the acid-like taste in his mouth as he approached them.

Though the way Selene looked at him, gaze full of warmth, helped to soothe the hurt.

‘Hi, Demir,’ she greeted. ‘Have a good workout?’

‘Boring as always,’ he shrugged. ‘How was school? Jack said you had a good time away.’ She looked away, stuffing her hands deep in the jacket she had yet to take off.

‘It was.’ Her voice was smaller than before, and she cleared her throat before looking at him again. Still, she hesitated. ‘School was fine, though. Luckily, a classmate of mine took good notes, so it was easy to catch up.’

‘You would’ve caught up quickly anyway,’ Demir said easily. ‘With how deep your nose is in those books, I’d give it two days before you were back at it.’

The edge of her lips quirked up into the beginnings of a smile before she quickly schooled her expression. ‘Flattery gets you nowhere.’ Despite the words, fondness coloured her tone, filling her eyes.

‘It’s not flattery if it’s true. You’re a genius,’ Jack added.

And just like that, Demir was pushed to the outskirts again as Selene’s attention shifted.

This time, he did better at ignoring the burn in the back of his throat. Stepping back from the pair, he pretended to go through some combinations again as Benny returned to the ring.

‘Ready to go?’ Benny asked, and Demir nodded.

Taking his stance, they started. He ignored Jack’s shouts from the side, narrowing down his world to his gloves. It was hard to tell how long he sparred with Benny, but by the time he looked up, sweat streaming down in rivulets, Jack and Selene were already long gone as if they were never there.

Selene’s body felt like it was full of lead as she knocked on Demir’s door the next morning.

She fiddled with her ring, starting to slip it off her finger before she stopped, deciding against it.

No more hiding. She had gotten lucky yesterday that Demir had decided not to come over.

Maybe she would have that same luck, and he would notice her ring quickly so she wouldn’t have to explain anything.

She scoffed. If she were really lucky, she would have been smart enough not to kiss him in the first place.

Someone moved behind the door, and a shadow appeared beneath. She swallowed around the knot in her throat as she spoke. ‘Demir, it’s me. I’m alone.’

There was a brief pause before the door opened. They stared at each other for a moment before Demir pulled her inside. She went willingly, heat entering her veins.

Selene shrugged her coat off and barely removed her gloves when he grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her into his chest, burying his nose in her hair.

She couldn’t help the way she leaned her head back, relaxing in his arms. His lips ghosted over the curve of her neck, his breath causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

Just as she reached up to touch his face, she stopped.

She could not give in this easily.

‘Demir.’ Her voice, deep with desire, was a whisper.

She held onto his arms, her face flushing under the sudden heat in the room.

Everywhere his skin met hers felt like fire and it was intoxicating.

Merely breathing near him was tempting, the air thick with desire and anticipation.

Her words were strangled when she spoke. ‘I need to talk to you.’

‘Then, talk,’ he encouraged. She pulled away, his hands settling against the small of her back. Her breath caught as she looked at him. There was no denying that Demir was handsome with his defined cheekbones and piercing eyes – she had always thought that, but it wasn’t what made her melt.

Going a week without talking to him, being free to be as bratty as she wanted to be, felt wrong. She missed pulling him out of his shell for a brief moment, finding out more about him… she missed getting to know him.

She kissed him without another thought.

Her lips moved eagerly over his, and he returned it just as enthusiastically.

Her tongue touched the seam of his lips, and he parted them willingly.

The kiss turned hungry and heated so quickly, it made her head spin.

Lust thrummed in her veins as she took her gloves off and pushed him against the wall, a moan escaping her lips.

Something sizzled along Selene’s spine as Demir spun them around, so she was pressed against the wall, grabbing her thigh. She let out a breathy moan as he hitched it over his hip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sucked on his bottom lip, pulling him closer as his hand crept up her thigh.

She didn’t know how to stop. The thought of it being the last – the only – time kept hammering in her head.

The moment was everything she had wanted and giving in felt amazing, especially when she soon couldn’t have more.

Any moment they would have from here on out would be tainted by the absence of what could have been. Couldn’t she at least have this?

But can you do this to him?

Selene’s thoughts drifted beyond the next few hours, beyond all the impossible scenarios, and focused on the ring slipping down her finger.

Could she betray both the men she loved?

No .

The thought rang out, loud and clear, and she pushed Demir away. The boxer stumbled back in surprise. Panting, she refused to meet his gaze, instead pressing her right hand to her lips.

In love with Demir? Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place.

Why she was always aware of him, why she constantly defended him, why she had never liked Nora, and why she rarely lied to him.

She had been in love with Jack for so long it never occurred to her it would look different with someone else.

She loved Demir… and she couldn’t do this to him.

‘I want this… God,’ she whispered. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as Demir approached her again, his footsteps echoing in the silence. ‘Demir, I really need to talk to you.’

‘We can talk later,’ he told her, voice still dripping in lust. ‘You don’t understand.’

‘What…?’ The words died on his tongue as desire turned to confusion. She placed her hand on his chest, and he covered it with his own. Demir froze and, just like that, it was all over.

He looked down, lifting her hand so that he could fully look at the diamond ring gleaming in the morning light. He kept staring at her finger as he stepped back, her hand slipping from his grasp.

‘Please, say something,’ she said, her voice strained.