Chapter 9

Pax and I parted on bad terms.

Four days before I left the country, she was hospitalized. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more ridiculous, Nina tried to kill herself.

“She’s got serious depressive tendencies.”

“It’s just an apology.”

Pax stood before me, fingers pressed to his forehead, as if the weight of this conversation had exhausted him. The dim hospital lights cast deep shadows under his eyes–evidence of a sleepless night.

I wondered if he had spent the night here, at her bedside.

He exhaled slowly, his patience fading by the second. “Wouldn’t you?”

I stared at him, my lips curling in amusement.

An apology?

I almost laughed.

“Of course,” I said, my assent easy, almost nonchalant.

Then I walked into her room.

The place smelled sterile and artificial, like disinfectant, with a hint of metal. The monitors beeped at slow, rhythmic intervals, the only sound to break the silence.

Nina sat on the bed, her skin pale under the fluorescent light. Her hair was combed to one side, framing her delicate features and making her look almost ethereal–like a fragile thing that was almost broken.

When she saw me, her lips parted slightly.

I took a step closer and locked eyes with her.

very clearly, I

“Apologize, asshole.”

silence that followed was sharp,

really expected me to come

quickly recovered–her expression changed

Her dark eyes shone, glassy with tears. Her fingers clenched the hospital blanket,

2:06

0

of Love,

47.0%

if my words hurt

admire

was really good at

a script he’d rehearsed a thousand times before–Parks was already in action.

shoulder, and his voice

“Nina don’t-”

to listen Then I reached for my passport, my fingers curled around the familiar edge. Without another word. 1 turned and walked away.But just as I reached the door, his voice broke

out that door

I paused

fell between us,

and looked back at

was watching me, waiting,

Waiting for what?

for me to hesitate? Am I going to buckle under the pressure

we’ve shared?

let out a slow

then I smiled.

“Deal.”

that what I’ve always wanted?

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