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“Mallory,” I say gently,to reach out to her “Please let me explain”

She finally draws in a big deep breath, raises her head, and sutsin my life, this amounts to the most shameful I loathe to hurt women, and yet I’ve done what I swore I’d never do I hurt the sweetest woman of all

I hate myself for the way she shuts down the e that s considering the way you two behave,” she says, handing Lia”

From his spot near the entryway table, Liae nothing? Did you not read what the fucker wrote?”

Aria sighs “Is that really necessary, Liam?”

“Yes,” he growls at her

Mallory ignores theh this “Yes, I did read what Jackson said And yes, it still changes nothing Like I told you earlier, anything that happened between us, I instigated” She glances from Liam to me, then places her hands on her hips and adds, “I refuse to be dragged into this ongoing feud between you two You are grown th but I see past it, only able to stare at the pain I caused in her eyes, when she says to Liauess what? I’ether” When she turns to face ot to spend these past few days with you I had a totally unexpected ain “There is nothing to discuss o on our merry ways and move on with our lives It’s done Over”

I’m not happy

In fact, I’ opposite of happy

Now I knohat my idiotic move has cost me It’s made her look at h me It’s not with the sweetness she had before at the cabin Or the warone, and we’re back to that place where I don’t know her and she doesn’t know me

I did that

I can’t take it back

“So,” she adds after a long-suffering sigh, “how about we decide here and now to stop this shit, all right? It’s really old, and to be honest, I’ Especially when you two bring uess that Aria wants no part of it”

“I don’t,” she states loudly

“See” Mallory gives aher hands in obvious frustration “You both have your sides of the story about what happened with Sophia But coo that this happened It’s time to move on”