Deep End

by Ali Hazelwood

“I owe you respect, I owe you care, and I owe you the truth. You, on the other hand, do not owe me forgiveness. But if you ever enter this kind of relationship with someone else…” His jaw grinds, tense. I don’t think he likes the idea. “These are the things you should demand.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” My belly swoops at the endearment. His tone lives somewhere between sympathy and amusement. “If you don’t think that I’m very aware of your presence, always, you have no idea what’s going on.”

“What I meant is, you care about me being well more than about me being good at something—anything. And when you’re around I don’t feel as anxious or scrutinized as I do with—”

“I was in pain, and someone had to be the villain of my story. But then my head cleared. You weren’t there for me to apologize, so I started with Lukas, and…he laid out all the facts. Everything that I should have already known about him, myself, us, he packaged it for me to see clearly. How little we shared. We were the closest

“The ultimate loss of control, huh?” I breathe deeply. “But we’ve done this before,” he points out, patient, almost detached. “You’ve given up control. You’ve trusted me to take over.” “And you never took advantage.” “Nor will I.

“This is Lukas, my best friend’s fiancé,” Pen says. He cannot help a small smile. “What?” “The way you introduced me.” Not her own ex. Not her own friend. It seems to occur to Pen, too, and her eyes widen. “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry. I promise I love you and stuff.” “And stuff.” “Come on. You know I would throw myself under a bus for you.” “You absolutely would not.” “Well…under a tricycle.” “Better.” “I would throw myself under a bus for Scarlett, though.” He can certainly relate to that.