“Your sister and I are dating. We've been together for six months.”
“We've been dating for aweek.” I correct him. “Wemeta few months ago for my contest, but I broke up with him.”
“No, she didn't.” Liam tries to correct me.
“Yes, I-”
Liam turns to me now as he cuts me off. “No, you did not, Sage. We're not breaking up.”
“We're not together, Liam. I said we'redone. You don't get to decide when or if we get back together.” Neither of us breaks eye contact, challenging the other.
“Wait, is this real?” August's voice pulls us apart. He's still looking at Liam as if he appeared from thin air, and I guess he sort of did. “What is happening? Why are you here?” He shakes his head. “How did you getin?”
I cover my face in my hands, a headache forming from previously trying not to cry. “I didn't know you guys didn't like him, but I broke up with him today, and it's over.”
When I look back up at August, he still looks confused. It takes him a second, but the pieces fall together in his head before he turns to Liam. “How dare you rope my twin sister into our issues?” August walks towards him, but I stand in front of Liam because I refuse to let them fight again.
“I didn't rope her into anything.” Liam counters. “Look, I know you don't like me, but I love your sister, so tell her you don't care if we date.”
“Idocare.” August's face scrunches as if he can't understand a single syllable Liam is forming. “You're not a good person.”
“You don't even know me.” Liam practically spits out. “Do you think I'm a bad person, Dory?”
I don't get to answer as August replies before I can in disbelief. “Who the hell is Dory? You don't even know her name. Get out of here! Did youbreak in?!” August grows more frantic as he pulls me away from Liam.
I try to de-escalate, but neither of them lets me get a word.
“Do I look like a threat to her life?” Liam rolls his eyes as he tries to grab me, but August actually karate chops his arm and grills Liam from head to toe.
“Uh, yeah. You do, actually.”
Hazel stifles a laugh from the couch, and I don't bother asking her to help. I step in front of the two of them before Liam hits him back. “Both of you stop.” I turn to August first. “He'snota threat to my life, and he's not a bad person,” I reassure him.
He looks like he can't understand me, but after I give him the Cliff notes of the last few months, he watches the two of us, and I watch all of the stages of grief fall on his face one at a time.
“Youlovehim?”
I never said that, but when I don't deny it, understanding washes through his face.
“Do you want him to leave?”
“Dory-”
“Let her speak, Walker,” August cuts him off, and Liam surprisingly doesn't say a word as I think of my options.
I know August said he no longer cares about what Liam did to them. Liam was also wrong; I'm not scared of my brothers. I just know what it looks like when you continuously forgive someone, and they keep apologizing with no changes. Three times, Liam had to ask for my forgiveness within less than a week of our dating.
“I don't believe you got with me because of my brothers, and if you did, I'll leave that to them to deal with, but if you want meback, Liam, you need to change. Apologies without action feel a lot like manipulation, so no more nice flowers or four-D movies. I don't want it. How about you learn to get your temper in order and learn to be more open with the woman you claim you love? Until then, I don't want to speak to you.”
I see the realization settle in his eyes at the seriousness of my words. It's clear he knows he can't just say we're together, and that'll be it.
He nods slowly, and when I see a gloss cover his eyes, I need to look away.
“I meant what I said about not giving up on you, beloved.” He closes the distance between us and presses the lightest kiss on my cheek. He takes one step away, and that single action nearly crushes my heart. “Try to eat something tonight, pretty girl.”
And that's all he says before he walks out, taking a small piece of me with him.
Chapter Thirty-Five
