Chapter 8
Jake
Two weeks have passed since that explosive video call with Ryan, and I'm more nervous now than I was then.
Today's the day we pick him up from the airport—his flight landed earlier than expected, cutting our preparation time short, which only makes this worse.
Mia suggested we meet him at the airport instead of surprising him at her parents' house, given how volatile things are between us all.
I've barely slept since finding out Ryan was coming home early. The anticipation is eating me alive. I can already imagine what he's going to say.
Mia sits beside me in the car, her right leg bouncing nervously as she checks her phone for what feels like the hundredth time since we left the house. She's just as on edge about this meeting as I am. The tension between us is palpable, but it's not because of any lingering issues—far from it.
No, our connection has only grown stronger over these past two weeks. Differently from before, I haven't changed my mind this time.
We've spent every waking moment together, talking, laughing, and even arguing at times. And, of course, there have been plenty of stolen kisses and heated encounters when we thought we could get away with it without alerting the neighbors.
But now that Ryan is coming home early, everything feels different. The bubble of safety and happiness we've created for ourselves is about to burst, and I don't know what will be left in its wake.
As we pull up to the airport, I glance at Mia one last time before turning off the ignition. "Ready?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.
She takes a deep breath, then nods. "As ready as I'll ever be," she says, unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for the door handle.
Alright, this is it. We are doing this.
We make our way through the crowded airport terminal, weaving in and out of people. Mia's hand is tucked into mine, reminding me of what we're fighting for. As we approach the designated arrival area, I scan the crowd, searching for any sign of Ryan among the sea of faces.
And then, suddenly, he's there—standing off to one side with his bags at his feet, talking to someone on the phone.
His uniform is crisp and pressed, his stance stiff and military-like.
He looks exactly like he always does when he's in active-duty mode, but something about him seems.. . harder. Colder.
It's because of me, isn't it?
As we approach, Ryan's eyes meet mine first, and I can see the shock—and anger—in them as he takes in my presence. But then Mia steps up beside me, and his gaze shifts to her, softening slightly before hardening again when he sees how close she is standing to me. She's making a statement.
"Ryan," Mia says tentatively, taking a step forward as if approaching a wild animal that might bolt at any moment. "You're early."
He hangs up the phone without a word of goodbye or explanation, slipping it into his pocket before speaking to us.
"You two have some fucking nerve," he growls. His eyes dart between Mia and me, lingering on our joined hands for a brief, intense moment before coming back up to my face.
Shit, this is going to be more difficult than I thought.
"Ryan," I say, taking a deep breath before continuing. "We can explain—"
"Explain?" he cuts me off sharply, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the scene before him. "You mean like how you explained that you loved Mia over the phone?"
Mia flinches beside me, but I don't dare look at her right now. Not with Ryan's fury practically radiating off of him. A single mistake and this could turn violent.
"I know what I said," I tell him evenly. "And I stand by every word."
Ryan's face darkens even further at that, and for a moment, I think he might actually physically attack me in the middle of the airport. But then Mia steps forward again, placing herself between us like a shield.
"Ryan," she says softly, looking up at her brother with pleading eyes. "Just listen to what Jake has to say."
Ryan looks down at his little sister, his expression softening despite himself. He's always had a hard time staying mad at her—she's just too damn charming for her own good. It's something I understand well.
"Fine," he says after pondering his next words for a few seconds, taking a deep breath and stepping back slightly as if giving us permission to speak our piece. "But you'd better make it good."
I nod, turning my attention fully onto Ryan now. This is my chance to explain myself—to tell him why I did what I did. I've thought about how to do this for a while now.
"First of all," I say, keeping my voice steady and calm despite the chaos inside me. "I know that I broke a promise when I got involved with Mia. And for that, I'm truly sorry." I pause, waiting for Ryan to respond, but he just stares at me silently, his face an impassive mask.
"But," I continue when it's clear that he isn't going to interrupt me, "I want you to understand why I did what I did. It wasn't some thoughtless decision made on a whim."
Ryan raises an eyebrow at that, but still doesn't say anything. He probably already knows what I'm going to say next, but still, better to make sure there are no misunderstandings. Not any more.
"Mia and I... we have history," I explain carefully, choosing my words with care as I try to navigate the delicate line between protecting her privacy and giving Ryan the truth he deserves.
Don't want to share too much with him, after all.
Just enough. "We've had feelings for each other for years now—feelings that neither of us could control or ignore any longer. "
Ryan's expression hardens at that, and I know that he's remembering the conversation we had all those years ago, the one where he made me promise never to touch his little sister.
"I know what you're thinking," I say, before he can voice the thoughts written all over his face.
"But you have to believe me when I tell you that this isn't some fleeting infatuation or a stupid mistake.
" I take a deep breath before delivering the final blow.
"I love Mia, Ryan. And she loves me too. "
It's not the first time I've said that to him, but it's the first time I've done it in person, and that's a whole different beast.
There's a long pause as we stand there in silence—Mia and me waiting with bated breath for Ryan's reaction, while he seems to be processing everything I've just told him.
"Love," he says flatly, his voice completely devoid of any emotion. "You expect me to believe that you're in love with my little sister?"
I nod firmly, not breaking eye contact with Ryan for even a second. "I do. Why else do you think I'm doing this?"
He considers this for another moment before speaking again. "And what about the promise you made to me?" he asks. "What happened to all that talk about doing right by her and staying away from her because I asked you to?"
"I tried," I admit, feeling my own anger beginning to rise in response to Ryan's accusatory tone.
I've actually tried way too hard, I think.
"I really did. But in the end, it wasn't enough.
" I shake my head, searching for the words to explain myself better.
"It's like... loving someone is like being on a boat out at sea with no oars or engine.
You can try to steer away from them all you want, but when it comes down to it, you're at the mercy of the waves and currents that bring you together. "
Ryan rolls his eyes at that, clearly not impressed by my attempt at a metaphor. I admit it was bad, but it still conveyed my thoughts.
"I don't give a fuck about boats," he says sharply. "I care about the fact that you lied to me and broke your promise."
"It wasn't a lie," I say firmly. "Not exactly." I sigh, running a hand through my hair in frustration as I try to make him understand. "Look, I'm not proud of what happened, especially because it hurt you, but I can't regret it either. Not when being with Mia feels so fucking right."
Ryan's face darkens at that, and I know that he's reaching the end of his patience.
"Don't," he says sharply, pointing a finger in my direction as if to warn me off from saying anything else. "I don't want to hear about how 'right' it feels for you to be fucking my little sister behind my back."
Mia flinches at that, and I know she isn't taking it well. We both wish this weren't even happening.
"Ryan," she whispers. "Can't you try to understand? Can't you just accept that I'm an adult now and that I can make my own decisions?"
He looks down at his little sister, and for a moment, I think he might actually apologize for being so crude.
But then his gaze shifts back to me, and the cold fury returns to his expression.
"I can't believe you," he says, shaking his head in disgust. "I thought we were friends—brothers, even. But now..." He trails off, looking away from us both as if unable to bear the sight of our faces anymore.
"We still are," I say quietly. "Or at least, we could be again."
Ryan scoffs at that, turning back to face me with a sneer. "You think so, huh?"
I nod firmly, holding his gaze despite the challenge in it. "I know so."
He considers this for another moment before finally speaking again.
"Alright then," he says, fisting his right hand. "Prove it to me."
"What?" I ask, taken aback by the sudden turn in the conversation. "What do you mean?"
I'm puzzled. I have no idea what he wants me to do.
Ryan crosses his arms over his chest, his expression challenging as he regards us both.
"I want you to prove that you really love Mia and that you're not just using her for your own gain or some twisted sense of revenge against me," he says. "And I want you to do it in a way that doesn't involve betraying any more trust or breaking any more promises."
I think about this, trying to figure out what kind of 'proof' Ryan might be asking for.