Chapter

Nathan didn’t give me a time, a location, or any hint of what “fixing the mess” meant. That was pure Nathan energy. Drop a bomb, walk away, and leave me to smoke in it.

I got dressed anyway, because what choice did I have? Nathan wasn’t the type to let things stay unresolved. He’d drag the truth out of me even if I was kicking and screaming the entire way.

I stepped out of my apartment, locked the door, and found him leaning against the wall in his suit jacket like he owned the hallway. Hands in pockets. Jaw sharp enough to cut glass. Eyes glued to his phone as if the world wasn’t falling apart around us.

“What took you so long?” he said without looking up.

“Sorry, I was trying to avoid being dragged to my doom,” I muttered.

He finally glanced up. “You already walked out. Too late.”

“Why are you like this?” I groaned.

“Because you make it fun,” Nathan replied, and as much as I hated it—I felt something flutter in my chest.

Damn him.

We barely made it down the stairs before the door buzzed loudly. Nathan paused. I did too. Whoever it was slammed into the building entrance like they were invading a kingdom.

And then came a familiar screech:

“LUUUUCASSS YOU TRAITOR!”

My blood temperature dropped to sub-zero.

It was Max.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Friend of yours?”

“No,” I lied. “Acquaintance. Very distant. Not even sure he’s human.”

Too late.

Max stormed up the steps, hair bleached half white half pink, wearing combat boots and… was that a glittery backpack? He looked like a unicorn warrior who lost his battle but won the fashion war.

“You left the country and didn’t even say goodbye?! I’m offended—NO—wait, appalled!”

Nathan stepped slightly between us, subtly blocking Max’s approach. His eyes narrowed.

“Who is this?”

“I’m the only person who didn’t get ghosted when Lucas ran off to Europe,” Max said confidently. “Which makes me VERY special.”

“Ran?” Nathan repeated. His voice was dangerously calm.

Max blinked, assessing him. “You must be the reason.”

Nathan smirked just a little. “Define reason.”

“You’ve got that hostile/romantic grit in your eyes,” Max said, squinting at him. “Also… the jawline. Classic problem-causing love interest behavior.”

“I’m not—!” I spluttered. This was spiraling fast.

Nathan didn’t deny a single thing. He simply turned his head, looking at me with the quiet judgment of a man who caught his boyfriend hiding in the janitor’s closet.

“I didn’t run,” I snapped defensively. “I just… relocated.”

Max clapped slowly. “That’s one way to say you booked it like your ass was on fire. Love the phrasing.”

Nathan’s voice dropped low. “Relocated, but didn’t tell anyone?”

“That’s not true,” I said quickly. “I told my mother. And the Uber guy.”

“You blocked everyone else,” Max pointed out.

“I needed space!”

Nathan stepped even closer. His voice was deep, grounded.

“And after three years of disappearing without closure, you walk back and the first person you look for is me? Why, Lucas?”

Silence hit like a slap.

Max looked between us and whispered, “Oh my god. It’s happening in real time. I’m living for this.”

I wanted to melt into lava.

“I didn’t come back for you,” I said softly.

Nathan’s jaw tensed. “So why did you come back?”

“I—because I needed—”

Nathan’s eyes lingered so long. So deep. I felt exposed. He never let me run from the truth.

Before I could answer, Max walked forward with a dramatic sigh.

“Anyway, I just came to drop off your spare keys since SOMEONE forgot to tell me he was moving back and left them with me.”

He held out the keychain. It had a tiny astronaut dangling from it.

Nathan stared at the key. Stared at Max. Stared at me.

“Spare keys?” he asked quietly. “You trusted him with your keys?”

My blood ran cold.

“Yes?” I said, voice cracking. “He fed my cat once.”

“You didn’t have a cat,” Nathan said.

“Fine! I lied. He fed me—mental support!”

Nathan didn’t laugh. He just breathed heavily through his nose, like suppressing emotion was painful.

Max finally said something useful: “And that’s why you’re acting like two idiots in denial. Cool. Well, I have a date. And unlike Lucas, I handle my problems like an adult.”

He left, dramatically flipping his hair like he was in some sort of K-pop music video.

Silence settled.

Nathan broke it.

“You trusted him with keys. But not me.”

“He wasn’t part of the complications, okay?” I snapped.

“Meaning I was.”

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

And that said everything.

Nathan stepped close—too close, like he wanted to crawl into my head. His voice dropped to a whisper-laced threat.

“You still run,” he said. “Even when you’re standing still.”

I swallowed.

“And you still chase,” I whispered. “Even when I don’t want to be found.”