If There's a Way (Lost Boys #2)

by Jessie Walker

“You said something once,” he adds quietly after a moment. “When you were four or five, maybe? I don’t know, but you were young. I was in town for the weekend, and I was watching you for the night. We were watching some Disney movie, I think? I don’t remember which one, but…” He trails off, inhaling deeply. Frowning, I look up at him. He smiles sadly, searching my gaze. “You asked if boys get princes too.”

“I love you.” He freezes. I choke out on a laugh. “Christ, man. That’s gotta be what this is, right? This feeling… like I’m being ripped apart from the inside out. Like I’m dying. Like I… like I literally can’t breathe from it.” My voice catches, breaking off like glass. “All there’s left in me is… is you, and I don’t even know if that makes sense. But it’s you. It’s always been you.”

“One day, I’m gonna hold your hand in public, and not feel like I’m dying when I do it.”

“It’s not your job to love who brought you into this world unconditionally. It’s the other way around. You don’t owe me anything.”