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“So, what are you saying?”

“I’ all this tie”

“W-we’re young It’s only been three years That doesn’t ”

“Not for Pax We ht years ahead of us He would have proposed by now, Elle He’d rad school and knock you up thea livable salary” I felt a tear slip down my cheek as I shook e in Nick’s eyes when he sawpoint “For fuck’s sake, Elle, he has his kids’ names picked out already! Has he even told you what they are?”

No

He’d never even mentioned kids to me

I always assumed he didn’t want them or simply wasn’t ready for them I’d have asked him for my peace of mind, but I was a coward and afraid to know the answer

Maybe I’d always known

“Baby,” Nick began when he saw the crushed look on my face He took a step toward me, but I backed away and wrapped my arms around myself

“You’re an asshole,” I whispered with aze on the floor

“I’ me look up “This is not—” He sed “This is not what I intended I didn’t o this way”

“For what to go ay?” I pushed through ht How he’d risked everything to have aze narrowed “You planned this You gavekey on purpose”

“Yes”

I hadn’t expected that—his brutal honesty “How could you?” I yelled once I recovered “I thought you were my friend!”

He storainst the desk “Maybe I don’t want to be your friend,” he barked “Maybe I’ you be with my brother No more, Elle You’re mine”

As soon as he finished speaking, I grabbed the heavy la what I’d done, I stared in shock as he crumpled to the floor, and when I saw the blood on his temple, my heart stopped

I quickly dropped down next to him to check his pulse

I sighed with relief once I realized he was breathing and shot toover to the safe I tried a few different coiven ly demanded it

I paused and then, with hesitant fingers, typed in 0-6-2-4

When the green light flashed and the locked disengaged, butterflies took flight in my belly

My birthday