Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

PART 6 CHAPTER 199

LUKE

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I took a shaky breath as Jessica's eyes bore into me, filled with hurt and disbelief. The silence between us felt like an endless canyon, too wide to cross. My chest ached to see her like this, raw and vulnerable.

She had become this... this tame being. The fire that was Jessica-the one who fought with me, outran me-wasn't there anymore. Or maybe it was, and I just needed to kindle it back to life.

"You don't get to come here and say these things now." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it cut through me like a knife. "I've tried so hard to move on, to forget everything we had, but you... you're like this scar etched into me." She dropped her face into her hands, the wo Without thinking, I dropped to my knees in front of her. I

reached for her hands, her skin warm against mine, soft and familiar. Her face was buried, and for a moment, I could barely breathe. "Jess..." I whispered, my voice rough as I brought her hands to my lips, pressing a kiss to each of her knuckles.

know," I said quietly, every word feeling like it weighed a ton. "I know I don't deserve to say this. I don't deserve you.

dreams, my every thought, every damn breath... Jess, I can't exist without you. I tried to cut you out, to tell myself it was better this way, but if I had to let you go..."

you sure... Francesca could be lying again. Maybe you

PART & CHAPTER 199

I can't believe I didn't piece it together sooner the timeline. I guess I was blinded by the fact that I got a a do-over. That's all.

eyes so full of pain it broke me all over again. "I loved you," she whispered, her voice full of something raw and broken. "More than I thought I

piece. "I know it's too much to ask," I managed, barely able to keep my voice steady,

let me prove to you that I can

at me then, her lips parted, her eyes full of something I couldn't quite read-hope, fear, maybe both. For a moment, neither of us moved, and then her gaze dropped to my lips,

my lips softly against hers, tentative, careful. Her fingers tightened in mine, and she kissed me back, her lips warm and