I’m a placeholder.

Thinking I could be anything more to Kase was foolish. I haphazardly stuff my clothes into my duffle bag and quickly grab all my bathroom accessories. Once he comes into the room, he’ll challenge my decision to leave and I’m not certain I'm strong enough to fight him. He doesn’t know how this story ends.

I do. It’s not me who ends up with a happily ever after.

I pull at the zipper, forcing it closed. Snatching my phone off the bedside table, my phone lights up and I search for the Uber app. Not having used it in forever and the fact that my mind is on the verge of breaking down, I can’t find the freaking app. My fingers halt at the sound of Kase clearing his throat.

I sigh, not surprised I didn't notice him. “What are you doing?” His voice is raspy laced with anger and hurt. I glance up and he’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed and flexed.

“What does it look like?” I respond, dropping my arms to my side. It comes out more snidely than I meant. This situation sucks. For both of us. He found out he’s a dad, and he’s having to deal with that surprise, but at least he’ll have something to look forward to after the dust clears. I’m choking on the dust, only I'll be left standing alone in the end. It’s not like I haven’t been here before. I’ve become a pro at picking myself up off a dusty floor and moving on.

“Tell me what happened in there,” he demands.

Rolling my lips between my teeth, I close my eyes for a beat and shake my head. “It’s not my place to tell. You need to hear it from her.” I grab my bag and walk around the bed. “We weren’t meant to be,” I whisper. The words are like broken glass, shredding my insides as they come out. He stands tall as I pass him and I glance down to avoid his dark eyes. He mutters a curse word under his breath.

His hand grips my arm pulling me back and I shriek as he pins me against the wall. Panic bleeds from his eyes. He doesn’t hesitate in taking what he wants. His lips slam down on mine. I resist as his tongue searches for entry. He hoists me up, pushing himself into me. My body warms instantly with him in between my legs. A gasp escapes my lips as he bites down on the bottom one–hard. Using the opportunity of my surprise, his tongue dominates my mouth, showing no signs of mercy, weakening my resolve as he devours my mouth. My bag slips from my fingers, making a loud thump as it hits the carpeted floor. I wrap my legs and arms around him and turn off my mind screaming at me to walk away.

It’s in this fractured instant that hope lives where it’s only us. He presses more firmly into me and a moan slips from my lips. His hands grip my ass hard enough I’ll have bruises later. “You won’t walk away from me,” he mutters against my lips. “You are mine.”

I am, but you’re not mine.

The wetness behind my closed eyes escapes. Tasting my salted tears, Kase stops kissing me and leans his forehead against mine. His chest rises and falls as silence hangs between us.

“You’re still leaving, aren’t you?”

I take in a deep breath and nod. He mutters a few more curse words as he puts me down and walks away. “You were her blinding echo. My eyes might have deceived me, but my heart and soul felt you. I’ll admit, in the beginning you were masked by the idea you were someone else, but everything that makes you different, made me want you more. I fell madly in love with Ellie. Can’t you see I love you and I chose you. I don’t know what else I can say.”    

“There's nothing you can say right now. I already told you, you need to hear what happened.”

“Okay! Stay here and I’ll go talk to Everly and then we can figure this out together.” He looks down at my ring finger. “Together, like a couple who is getting married.”

“Kase,” my voice breaks. “You have a son.”

“Do you think I don’t fucking know that already,” he says, getting frustrated. “Is that why you’re leaving?”

“No. Yes… no,” I finally spit out. “It’s part of it, but it’s not what you’re thinking.” I wish he could see I’m giving him a way out. When he finds out the truth, he’ll want to make it right with her. He bleeds loyalty, and his loyalty should be with his true love and their son. Not me.

“Fine,” he grates. “I’m taking you to the airport.” I nod in defeat and he sweeps up my bag. “Ellie, we aren’t over. Not by a long shot.”

You’ll change your mind, Cowboy. 

“Don’t let that bitch take your man.” Tori’s been yelling at me for the last half hour. I’m tired of explaining myself.  “She might have the same DNA as you but she’s not you, and Kase loves you.”

I moan, running my hands through my hair, hiding my face in my arms. My life was complicated before, but this is like a puzzle that took months to put together only to find out there’s a missing piece. That piece is Everly.

“And don’t even get me started about how pissed I am that she blames you for all of this. Seriously?”

I lift my head, watching Tori walk back and forth in front of me. “I think it was a knee-jerk reaction. In her defense, she had just learned she was adopted, has a twin sister — who was with the love of her life — and by some weird twin thing, she felt when I almost died. It’s a lot to take in.” I don’t blame her even though it hurt my heart.

She rolls her eyes. “I guess we’ll give her a pass there. But I’m not budging that Kase belongs with you. Even if you're twins, you’re still two different people. She might have been his past, but you’re his present.”

“You sound like him.”

“See. Maybe now, you’ll listen to both of us.”

I don’t want to tell her how inadequate I feel that I can’t give him a child. Even though he swore he didn’t want kids, his eyes lit up talking to Reed. What if he decides he wants more now? I can’t give him a baby, but she can.

She can give him everything.  

I fall back against the couch, the tears starting again.

“Why did two hearts have to choose the same one to love?” I cry.