After abandoning me for his lover, my mate regretted

r recovery a mirac

her out of that aby

out of that abyss

the memory. I fumbled it out, the

other. I knew

ooth, polite, but

o can lift her higher. I'm grateful for your Five years of loyalty, but let's be clear-if it wa

rage. I just stared down the empty hallway wh

calm as a grave. "I'm gone

hospital. The gash on my forehead took Five st

and shuffled ou

rom the entrance, its window cracked open. Inside, Sebastia

ssed up back then

arents wouldn't let us be together-they shipped me off other

t in the dim light. I stood frozen, my feet r

" she finally asked, her vo

ropped, tears strea

, and I'm not asking for anything. Just don't chase me aw

uiet for what felt like forever. Then she

blame you,

brother to me, nothing li

up, a shaky smile brea

ulled her into a hug,

y breath and turned away, heading

k slid a form across the counter.

stepped outside int

villa, where I'd lived for F

enough to thin

woven blankets, the dining room a tattered note with my "gut-friendly

her rehab, standing tall, her rare smile lighting up the frame. I stood

re worn, rubbed raw from h

long time before tos

s were bett

husky from sleep, casual like last night never

for a be

slid open, and there was Sebastian, holding

id. "I'm bringing Charlott

just followed hi

ut her brow arched when she saw us to

said, popping open the lunch box. The

avorite-extr