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Chapter twenty-five

~ AVERY~

The room feels suffocating. It’s silent, heavy with everything I’ve just overheard.

I stand frozen at the top of the stairs, my heart racing in my chest. Their words still echo in my mind, like a shot to the head I can’t recover from. Rowan sent the girl to Damien’s house. He set that whole thing up, and the worst part is, I don’t even know if I should be relieved or devastated.

Part of me wants to scream at him. Part of me wants to curl up into a ball and forget all of this ever happened. How could he do this? How could he hurt me like this, go to such lengths to “protect” me? I’m not a fragile thing to be wrapped in bubble wrap. I’m not a possession to be kept safe from the world. And I think it’s finally time for him to come to terms with it.

But at the same time, part of me understands. He’s always tried to keep me safe, even if he’s overprotective at times. That’s just Rowan, but he does it out of love.

I want to run away from this, from all of it. But there’s something else, too—a deep ache in my chest for Damien. For what he’s gone through because of this. His face is bruised, and I don’t need to ask to know who did this to him. He didn’t deserve any of this. Not from his best friend.

I can feel the tears starting to well up again. I swallow hard, blinking them away. I can’t fall apart right now.

I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and make my way down the stairs. My mind is a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, but there’s one thing I know for sure. I won’t let Rowan think he can control me anymore.

Rowan is standing there, arms crossed, looking like the world’s weight is on his shoulders. Damien’s eyes are following me, fury still burning in them, but there’s also sadness.

“Rowan,” I say, my voice trembling. “How could you do this?”

The words hang in the air, thick and heavy, like I’m pulling the trigger on something I can’t take back.

Rowan opens his mouth, panic in his eyes.

“Avery,” he says, his voice low and defensive. “I did what I had to do to protect you.” I can’t believe he’s still repeating the same bullshit.

“Really?” I drawl, disbelief lacing my voice. “Let me tell you something.” I take a step forward, my eyes never leaving his. “That man,” I point to Damien, who’s still looking at me, eyes filled with alarm and pain, “did so much for me during my time here. He helped me find my love for skating again, something you never gave me the chance to do. He taught me how to love myself. I woke up in his bed today feeling happier than I’ve ever been. And it’s because of him.” My voice cracks, raw emotion spilling out before I can stop it. “I know how hard you’ve tried to pry me open from my shell. Damien knew it, too, and he came in, took my hand, and walked me out of it. If I were you, I would be thanking him right now, not… this.” I motion between them. I take a deep breath, shaking my head. “You think you did the right thing, but you fucked everything up.”

Rowan flinches like I’ve slapped him. I’ve never cursed in front of him. His face tightens, guilt starting to creep in, but he doesn’t say anything for a moment. Finally, he exhales a long breath, his hands dropping to his sides.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” he admits, his voice low.

“You didn’t think about how I felt or how Damien felt. You didn’t think about what I wanted. You just assumed what was best for me. Because that’s what you always do.”

Damien, standing off to the side, finally steps in.

“Avery—” he starts, but I stop him, turning to face him fully.

“Damien, just… let me,” I say, holding up a hand. I need to do this. I turn back to Rowan, my heart hammering in my chest. “You’ve hurt me tonight, Rowan. You’ve hurt me more than you’ll ever understand. And you’ve hurt Damien. I understand your need to always have things under control. I know you didn’t have ill intentions, but by God, Rowan, this isn’t the way. You have to let me live my life. What was your plan after breaking my heart on purpose? Go buy me ice cream and pat my back?”

For a moment, Rowan doesn’t say anything. He just watches me with a pained expression.

And then, finally, he speaks, his voice small. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, big time.” I nod, tears stinging at the corners of my eyes.

Rowan’s shoulders slump, and for the first time tonight, his bravado cracks. His eyes drop to the floor, and I can see the guilt written all over his face. He runs a hand through his hair, frustration and regret clearly battling inside him.

“Avery,” he says, his voice quiet, almost broken. He lifts his gaze to meet mine, and there’s no denying the remorse in his eyes now. “I screwed up. You’ve always been so closed off, so damn guarded. You never let anyone in, and then here comes Damien.” He lets out a shaky breath. “He’s everything you’re not. He’s loud. He’s messy. He can be a real dick if he wants to, and I thought… I thought it would blow up in your face."

I stand there, speechless, letting his words sink in. Rowan’s usually so in control, so sure of himself. To see him like this, vulnerable and regretful, is like watching a pillar crack.

“I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Rowan continues, his voice rough. “I didn’t want you to fall for someone who could break you, someone who might not stick around. I thought it would be better if I just… took the choice away from you before it got too far.”

I want to yell at him, to scream that he can’t keep controlling my life like this. But then I remember the way he’s looking at me. The guilt. The regret. He loves me more than anything in the world, and what he did was wrong, and he knows it. Keeping me away from the rink was wrong. Keeping me away from Damien was wrong like saving your favorite stickers for the right moment when you’re a child. Suddenly, you’re grown, the glue on them has dried out, and they become useless.

“I’m not a sticker,” I murmur.

“What?” he asks, a bit confused.

“You’re so damn scared of me getting hurt,” I say softly, my voice cracking. “But you don’t see that you’re the one who’s been keeping me from living. How many times did you fail, get hurt, and get back up again? Do you think someone can walk through life without these things?”

Rowan’s eyes well up, and for a moment, I think he’s about to break. His voice trembles when he speaks again.

“I love you more than anything. I just want you to be happy. I don’t know how to let go. But I realize now that I don’t get to make that choice for you. You’re my little sister, and I’ll always protect you. But you’re not mine to protect like that. I should have trusted you more, and I’m sorry.”

I look at Damien, his stance still tense, but his eyes are soft, watching Rowan with a kind of hope.

“You should have trusted me,” I agree. “I would never choose someone who doesn’t feel right for me. And Damien? He’s the one who taught me to take risks, to love myself, to let go of the fear. And somehow, through all the shit that’s gone down, he didn’t give up. Look at him, Rowan. After all the shit you gave him, Damien’s still here. He hasn’t run away. He’s here, and he’s fighting for me. Do you think he would have done that if he didn’t care?”

The men exchange a long look before Rowan turns back to me.

“I can’t undo what I’ve done,” he says, stepping closer, his voice thick with emotion. “But I can try to make it right. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. Please, let me make it right.”

My chest tightens, and despite the anger I still feel, I know I can forgive him. I can see that he was only trying to protect me in his own twisted way. It’s not right, but it’s real. I nod, hot tears streaming down my face again.

Rowan looks like he’s going to say something else, but instead, he pulls me into a tight hug, the kind that says everything without words. He doesn’t say “sorry” again, but I feel it in the way he holds me, in the way his arms tighten around me, as if he’s trying to make up for all the wrong he’s done.

When he pulls away, there’s a small, tentative smile on his face.

“Please forgive me. I’m still learning,” he says softly. “But I’m trying.”

I nod, knowing that’s all I can ask for. Real love. And that’s more than enough.

I glance at Damien, who’s been standing off to the side, watching the exchange. When our eyes meet, I see the emotion in his.

“I’m sorry,” I say to him, stepping toward him now. “For everything that happened. You didn’t deserve any of this.”

Damien’s lips twitch up into a small, unamused smile.

“You don’t have to apologize for your brother being a jackass,” he says, his tone light but filled with sincerity.

“Damien…” Rowan’s voice drops, softer now. “I’m ashamed of my actions tonight.” His words are almost hesitant, like he’s unsure of what he’s even feeling. “You and Ares… you guys… I don’t know where I’d be without you. My fear filled my head with all the wrong shit. You’ve always been in my corner, and tonight, I acted like it didn’t mean anything. I’m so sorry, brother.”

I glance at Damien, who stands motionless, his eyes trained on Rowan. The tension between them is thick. I can tell this isn’t just about me anymore. It’s about their friendship.

“I’m sorry, too,” Damien finally responds, his voice rough but thick with emotion. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner and keeping this a secret. I never meant to. I meant to tell you. I just wanted to lube you up before I rammed it in, you know. But then you rammed it in instead,” he huffs out a laugh.

Rowan’s eyes flash with a flicker of guilt and pain. He steps closer to Damien, his voice low, barely a whisper but carrying all the weight of years of friendship.

“I was just trying to keep you from hurting her,” he says, the rawness in his tone making my heart ache for both of them. “But I know I fucked up.”

Damien lets out a sharp breath, his chest tightening.

“You think I’d ever do that?” He shakes his head as if the question itself is absurd. “You and me, we’ve been through everything together. I owe you everything, and we both know that. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna sit back and let you dictate who I get to be with. Especially not when it’s her.”

Rowan swallows hard, his jaw tense. He’s struggling. I can see it in the way he’s looking at Damien, like he’s seeing him for the first time in a different light.

“Do you think there’s a way back from this?” he asks, his eyes locked with Damien’s. “You’ve been my crutch for so long—you and Ares. I can’t lose you. And I’m sorry.”

Damien’s expression softens, and there’s a long pause where neither of them speaks. I stand there, watching and feeling their love for each other.

Damien steps forward, his eyes steady, as though he’s finally letting go of all the walls he’s built up over the years.

“You won’t lose me, Rowan. You won’t lose any of us. We’re family, and we’re not going anywhere. But you have to learn to trust. Trust that I’ll do right by her.”

Rowan’s face cracks, and he’s finally done hiding it. He reaches out and grips Damien’s shoulder, the gesture more tender than anything I’ve ever seen between them.

“I know, man,” Rowan says softly, his voice thick with emotion. “Do you forgive me?”

Damien’s expression softens even more, and his voice is gentle when he speaks again.

“Let me drive your Ferrari for a week, and I might think about it.” Damien’s lips quirk up.

They stand there for a long moment, the weight of everything between them slowly lifting. And in that silence, I realize just how much this moment means to both of them.

Damien reaches out and pulls me into him. Then, he grabs Rowan by the shoulder and pulls him into a tight hug as well. I feel Rowan wrapping his arm around me, the other wrapping around Damien, and I do the same. The three of us, finally breaking down the walls, finally seeing each other for who we really are, flaws, pain, and all.

Damien leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.

The room falls back into silence again as we hold each other, but this time, it’s not heavy. It’s lighter. Like the storm has passed, but the air still crackles with the aftermath.

“Well, look at this fucking mess,” a deep voice startles us. We both pull back a bit to look at the door where Ares is standing. His usually cold eyes are soft. How long has he been standing there? The look in his eyes says, “ I saw everything.”

Then, with that signature dry smirk of his, he speaks up.

“Mind if I join the therapy session?” he asks, stepping into the room like a ghost, all tall, dark, and intense. His cheekbone is red and already bruising against his pale skin.

Oh, God.

I turn to Rowan with a scowl, and he shrugs apologetically.

“He got to you too, huh?” Damien laughs.

Ares gives Rowan a wink before slinging his arm over Damien’s shoulder. “What do you say?” he asks Damien in a conspiratory tone. “Should we give our brother a matching bruise?”

Damien’s lips stretch into a grin as both men stare at my brother, wide-eyed with a nervous half-smile on his face.

“Don’t even try,” he says right before the two men lunge at him. “Avery, help!” he calls out with a laugh.

It’s a playful fight with light deadlocks, curses, and occasional grunts. As I watch the three men wrestle each other, the lump in my throat grows. This is us. We’re messy and loud and might not be perfect by other people’s standards, but we’re a family. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted.