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Back Where There's A Will Save as PDF
Chapters (39)
  1. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. Interlude
  37. Acknowledgements
  38. Content Warning
  39. About the Author

It’s no longer just her face I see in my head when I think about things like home and safety and family, but a pair of deep blue eyes flashing across my vision, twinkling with wicked promise and fiery determination. I see that stupid crooked grin that never fails to wake something up in me I thought long since dormant, washed away by my jadedness; and I want more.

It pisses me off—he pisses me off. Drives me up a fucking wall in all the best and worst ways. He makes me want things I never thought I could have. Makes me want to believe I can actually have them.

Because he’s...safe.

“You’re safe with me.”

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you—”

...We’re standing by the front door, and Will’s hands are cradling my face. He holds me like I’m something precious, and I know I should hate it. Hate this weakness inside me that just wants to sink into his touch.

But with his eyes locked on mine, it’s all too easy to banish the doubts that scratch along the edges of my mind. All too easy to forget why this scared me in the first place. All too easy to forget the guys will be home any minute.

Because who cares? Who fucking cares?

“We were always going to end up here, weren’t we?” My voice is barely above a whisper.

He shrugs. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way, right?” He smirks knowingly. “Kind of inevitable, wouldn’t you say?”

I huff through my nose and look down. “More like doomed.”

He flicks my nose. “Buzz kill.”

I grip the back of his skull, and pull him toward me, pressing my forehead to his. “Cheesy.”

He smiles against my lips. “Grumpy.”

“Hopeless,” I breathe into a soft kiss.

More.

All I want is more more more.

“Just promise me something, Waylon James,” Ivy says, snapping me back to the present.

“Yeah?” I say hoarsely, opening my eyes to find her already looking up at me.

Wariness paints her face as she smiles tightly. “Don’t shut me out.”

I don’t miss the silent next time attached to her words, and I don’t try to deny it. Not this time. The days of make-believe are over for both of us.

I swallow hard and divert my gaze to somewhere just beyond her as I think about what Dr. Wells told me. “It’s not just us anymore, Ivy. We don’t need to do this alone. I can’t...rely on you like that. Not anymore.”