When Adalyn left her house Monday morning, the black car was already waiting for her. She opened the car door and got into the back seat when her heart came to a complete stop.

She had spent one month crying and the second one getting over the man who now sat in the driver’s seat as if nothing had ever happened.

No. No. No.

She jumped back out of the car, slammed the door, and started running back inside the house.

Angel quickly got out and ran after her.

“Adalyn!”

“Leave me alone!” she barked at him.

“Please.” Reaching out, he lightly touched her arm, stopping her. “I just want to talk.”

Adalyn gazed down at the tatted hand on her arm while tears started to rim her eyes as she remembered how, with every passing day that had passed, she could remember less and less where each colored ink lay on his pale skin. It only caused her to wish and wonder what it would be like to see him again, to feel him again.

But she wasn’t that girl anymore.

Pulling her arm away from his grasp, with tear-filled, defiant eyes, she looked straight into his gray ones. “I wanted to talk months ago, but you wouldn’t let me.”

“I couldn’t,” he told her truthfully before opening his eyes, letting her see what he was hiding, even to himself. He whispered the words; there was no hiding anymore. “I’m scared shitless, Adalyn.”

She stood there, paralyzed, listening to every word.

“I’m trapped here without knowing if he will ever let me leave. If I allow myself to have you, I’m afraid I will stay forever.”

A single tear trailed down her face. “Then why walk back into my life?”

“I don’t belong here, sweetness. We both know that.” Angel stepped closer to her, wanting to reach out and brush away her tears. “But I think I might belong with you.”

“Why now? What changed?” she quietly asked.

He had to do it.

Reaching out with a cold, inked finger, he wrapped a strand of her thick brown hair around it. “I realized I could either spend an eternity here, trapped, or I could spend an eternity here, with you.”

As she stared up at the fallen Angel, she realized that the love she felt for him hadn’t gone away. Instead, she could feel it growing with every passing second. It was so tempting just to reach out …

He’s going to break you again, a small voice whispered, reminding her that she had moved on and had accepted things the way they were. If she gave Angel another chance, he would leave her when Lucca released him. She didn’t think she could survive it.

Adalyn pulled the strand from his grasp, watching it unravel from around his long finger. “You already walked away from me once, Angel. Now, this is me walking away from you.”

She proudly walked up the porch and opened her front door.

“I know you gave her the ring back. I want to thank you.” His voice stopped her from going in just yet. “I thought I was in love with her, but she’s always been in love with someone else. Does that remind you of anyone?”

Squeezing the door handle, she didn’t want to turn back and look at him, afraid she would lose her composure.

“I’m telling you right now, any love I had for Bella is gone, and I’m willing to look past any love you might still have for Lucca.” Angel tried one last time to get her to take him back. “You didn’t deserve what I did to you, and for that, I’m sorry, Adalyn. It’s no excuse, but I’m fucked up. It’s how I’ve survived. I can’t promise you much of anything because of that, but I’m willing to try to make you happy, if you’ll let me.”

She looked back at him as more tears streamed down her face. This time, I need promises.

Shaking her head, she made up her mind. “I don’t think I could ever trust you again.”

Angel gave her the only promise he could while watching her close the door on him. “I can wait. I’m not going anywhere, sweetness.”

* * *

Tuesday morning, after calling Lucca and telling him that she wouldn’t go to school with Angel, she was taken off guard to find both the Escalade and a black car parked outside.

Seeing Angel waiting as he leaned against the hood of the car, and then looking at the Escalade that held all her friends, she realized she was being given a choice.

Adalyn took a breath and walked down the driveway. She came up to Angel’s car first but didn’t even turn her head as she walked right past him, not even the slightest bit tempted. It was almost like he didn’t exist.

* * *

When Wednesday came, she was met with the same two choices. Still, she found the choice easy. Escalade.

* * *

Thursday, Angel was still there. She was starting to get a bit annoyed, which made it the tiniest bit harder to walk past him again.

Her eyes drifted as she passed, glancing at the bad boy before she snapped them forward. Still Escalade.

* * *

When Friday rolled around, she found her resolve starting to slip. Thinking it would only get easier to pass him, she found the opposite was the truth; it only got harder. She promised herself she wouldn’t look at him, but again, her eyes slightly drifted. However, that wasn’t the worst part. This time, something else happened within her.

She felt her skin cry out for his; the missing pieces they had stolen from each other with each encounter were still there. It felt like a tether that was impossible to walk away from, but somehow, she did and got into the big SUV. Thank you, God.