Chapter 10 The Breakthrough
CHAPTER TEN
the breakthrough
CHEYENNE
It’s embarrassing how quickly I reach for my phone these days when I hear it vibrate.
I used to be the type of person who could abandon their phone for days on end without a second thought, but now I’ve always got it on me or somewhere close by, not wanting to miss a single message from Iver.
I’m giddy whenever one comes through and I see his name on the screen, my heart beating fast and a wave of butterflies taking flight in my stomach.
It doesn’t even matter what the message says.
It can be a simple ‘good morning’, a random question, or just some casual comment.
No matter the words, the feeling I get is the same– that swoony, smitten warmth that comes from being on the receiving end of his attention.
Iver Anderson is the total package; the type of guy who could have anyone. And he’s choosing me.
Well, technically fate chose me for him, but still.
He could’ve turned his back on our bond when he saw my mark or when I told him how I got it.
He could’ve walked away when I told him I had issues with being touched or when I panicked after he hugged me.
Despite all my damage, he’s chosen to stick it out, patiently helping me work through my issues and building trust. He’s been given so many reasons not to choose me, yet over and over, he still has.
And I choose him.
My heart flutters as I swipe up my phone from the side table next to the couch, my lips curving into a smile when I read the message on the screen.
Just as I hoped, it’s from Iver. Ninety percent of my messages are these days, with the other ten percent being from Javi or Lo. What can I say? I’m a social butterfly.
Iver
Merge time! When are you coming over? Need me to pick you up?
I can’t help but smile as I read his words, immediately typing out my response.
I’ll catch a ride from Javi. See you around seven.
Sounds good. I can give you a lift back home later.
My pulse picks up speed as my fingers hover over the keyboard on my phone screen.
I know what I want to say, it’s just a matter of building the courage to actually do it.
I’ve had a lot of time to think, and I’m ready to take the next step with Iver.
Drawing a deep breath, I steel my nerves and type my reply.
How about in the morning?
I hold my breath as I hit send, heart beating a riot in my chest as I watch the three grey bubbles dance on the screen that indicate he’s typing.
Really?
I mean yes, I’ll give you a ride in the morning if you stay the night.
Only if you want to.
No pressure.
But it’d be cool if you stayed.
I chuckle to myself as his rapid-fire texts come through, warmth blooming in my chest. There’s no question that Iver is all Alpha, but it’s adorable how he can get so flustered sometimes. Not to mention more than a little empowering for me to be the one who makes the big Alpha nervous.
Okay, I’ll bring a bag in case.
Cool.
See you soon, beautiful.
I’m grinning down at my phone like an idiot when the front door suddenly swings open, Javi strolling into my cabin like he owns the place.
Jolting in surprise, I toss my phone down onto the couch like it’s on fire, heat rising to my cheeks as I stare at my best friend like he just caught me with my hand in the cookie jar.
“Am I interrupting something?” Javi asks as he pushes the door closed behind him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“What? No!” I choke, an awkward chuckle rattling from my throat as I comb my fingers through my hair, struggling to recover my composure.
He narrows his gaze suspiciously, nodding toward my phone. “Who you talkin’ to?”
I roll my eyes as I lean over to snatch it up from the couch. “I was just making plans with Iver for tonight,” I breathe, stuffing it into the back pocket of my jeans.
A smug grin spreads across Javi’s face.. “Oh yeah, what kind of plans?”
“Just watching Survivor,” I mumble.
“Oh god,” he scoffs. “You’ve got him watching that trash?”
I fold my arms over my chest, lifting my chin. “He actually watched it before me.”
Javi snorts a laugh. “Well damn, you two really are meant for each other.”
I make a face at him, flipping the bird as I turn on a heel and strut down the hall toward my bedroom. His heavy boots clomp against the hardwood floor as he follows me, and I breeze inside to head for my closet while Javi pauses in the doorway, leaning a shoulder against the frame.
“Think you could give me a lift over there?” I ask as I pull the closet door open and glance around inside.
“Sure, when?”
My gaze snags on a small duffel resting on the top shelf. “Like, right now?” I ask as I press up on my tiptoes to grab the strap of the bag and pull it down.
“Alright,” he agrees readily. “You could just take my truck if you want, I don’t need it until morning.”
“Well I might not be back until morning,” I murmur as I spin around to face him, duffel in hand.
His brows shoot up.
“Don’t even start,” I sigh, rolling my eyes as I turn away and tread across the room to my dresser. I feel the weight of his stare on me as I start pulling open the drawers, packing a change of clothes into the bag.
“I’m happy for you, Chey,” he declares. “Seriously, go get some.”
“Yeah, well we’ll see,” I sigh, glancing back at him over my shoulder. “Chances are always fifty-fifty that I freak out when I get touched.”
Javi frowns, brows drawing in. “You know, sometimes I wish I could bring that asshole back from the dead just so I could kill him all over again,” he mutters wryly.
“I know,” I sigh. “And I love you for that, Javi. I really do.” Resting my bag on top of the dresser, I spin around to face him fully, staring into his eyes as I lean back against it.
“But I’ll never not be glad that he’s gone.
I hate that you have to live with his death on your conscience, but I’ll always be grateful that you slayed my monster. ”
The corner of his mouth lifts infinitesimally. “And you slayed mine,” he replies, tipping his head.
“That’s why we’ll be best friends forever,” I say with a wink, spinning back around to resume packing.
I should probably feel some tinge of regret for killing my best friend’s mom.
I keep waiting for guilt or remorse to set in, but thus far, all I feel is relief.
Delilah Cruz was not a good person. She wasn’t even an okay person.
That bitch was evil, and she deserved what she got.
Given that she had a hand in my trauma, I’m glad I was the one to deliver the fatal blow.
There’s peace in reaping justice.
“Ugh, why don’t I have any cute underwear?” I mutter as I pick through my top drawer.
Javi snorts another laugh. “Doubt he’ll give a shit about your underwear, Chey.”
I cut him a glare over my shoulder.
“What?” he chuckles, shrugging. “I’m just sayin’. Take it from me, guys don’t give a shit about what their girl’s underwear looks like, they just want to get it off as quickly as possible.”
I make a scoffing sound in my throat, selecting a relatively new pair of black bikini briefs and a matching bralette to stuff into my overnight bag.
“Hey, that’s an idea,” Javi muses. “Go commando, bet he’ll love it.”
“Ugh,” I groan, snatching up a pair of socks from my drawer and turning to lob them across the room at him. “You’re the worst, you know that?”
He chuckles as he swats the socks out of the air.
“Let’s see if we even get that far,” I grumble.
“So, do we need to have the talk about the birds and the bees, or…?” Javi jokes, waggling his brows.
I toss another pair of socks in his direction, a giggle slipping from my throat. “Shut up. You know what I mean.”
His smile slowly fades.
“Sometimes when we’re in the middle of things, my brain just gets mixed up,” I admit, tucking my hair behind my ears as my gaze flutters to the floor. “Sometimes I forget it’s Iver for a second and not him.”
“It’s not him, and it’ll never be him,” Javi growls as he pushes off from the doorframe, his jovial demeanor shifting on a dime as he eats up the distance between us in long strides.
“Never again. He’s gone, Chey. He has no power over you anymore.
Every day that you’re not living your life for you, you’re giving him that power, but he doesn’t deserve it.
” He reaches out, setting a firm hand on my shoulder.
“He’s taken enough, and it’s time for you to take it back. ”
The sting of tears prickles behind my eyes as I stare back at him, jerking a nod.
Javier Cruz is my rock. He’s always been there for me, and even when my whole world changed and I tried to push him away, he wouldn’t let me.
He was the only one who refused to leave my side; who refused to allow me to suffer alone.
I know he’s always harbored a sense of guilt over what happened that night, but he shouldn’t.
He’s not responsible. If it weren’t for him, the monster who assaulted me would still be walking this earth, and I’d be six feet under.
Javi has done his best over the years to try to glue me back together, but cracks still remained.
I’d accepted that they’d always be there until Iver swooped in and started to mend them.
The more he heals me, the harder I fall for the golden-haired Adonis that fate blessed me with.
He’s given me everything I need to finally take my power back, and tonight…
Well, that’s exactly what I plan to do.
Rain pounds against the back window of the Westfield packhouse as the ending credits of Survivor roll on the TV screen, accompanied by a scroll of footage revealing each player’s vote at tribal council.
“Missed opportunity for a blindside,” Iver sighs, clicking the power button on the remote and tossing it down on the coffee table.
I throw back the rest of my vodka cranberry, nodding in agreement as I swallow. “Totally anticlimactic. Bor-ing.”