46. Chapter 41 #2
Evin chuckled softly but stepped closer. "You know he’s not trying to prove anything, right? He’s just helping." As she tried to soothe him, Bas found himself noticing her heart-shaped lips again and the way they moved.
"...can you come here for a sec?" Evin started walking, her expression unreadable—a mix of determination and something that made him hesitate.
With a nod, he followed her, though an uneasy feeling gnawed at his chest. They stepped into a small side tent, away from the commotion, and as Bas entered, he saw Ben already standing there.
Of course. Hands on his hips, he looked so relaxed it was as if he had just been teleported there—because he just had to be everywhere she was.
"What’s going on?" Bas asked, his eyes shifting from Ben to Evin. And there it was again, that pull in his chest that he both despised and couldn’t shake. He knew it was irrational—Ben had never given him a reason to doubt him. But that didn’t change the fact that he didn’t want him around her.
"You two." Evin crossed her arms, her voice calm but firm. "We need to clear this up."
We? Bas felt his jaw tighten. It sounded like she was blaming both of them for… whatever this was. But it wasn’t on him. He was the one respecting boundaries.
"There’s nothing to clear up," Bas replied shortly, though his gaze lingered on Ben. The guy stood there like he was amused by the whole situation, even though he hadn’t said a word. Bas could almost feel the grin, even i f it wasn’t visible.
"Really?" Evin asked, stepping closer, her tone softer but carrying that weight he could never escape. "Because I see it differently. And before we keep going, I want this settled."
Bas forced himself to take a deep breath, but it didn’t help.
The room suddenly felt smaller, and his gaze flickered to Evin.
She stood there, determined and calm, and for a moment, he hated how much he wanted her.
How much he wanted to be the kind of guy who didn’t take every confrontation as a personal attack.
“Evin, this is ridiculous,” Ben muttered, his brow furrowed slightly. “I don’t have a problem with him.”
Of course, you don’t, Bas thought, scoffing quietly. Why would you? You’re always the good guy, aren’t you?
“And I don’t have a problem with you,” Bas shot back, though his tone betrayed the opposite. “Because I don’t give a damn about you.”
The words came too fast, too defensive, and he knew Evin wouldn’t like them. She raised her hand before either of them could speak again.
“Bas…” The way she said his name. That soft tone... “If you don’t at least try, you’re only making it harder for everyone.”
He looked at her, trying to untangle the knot tightening in his chest, but it was impossible. She didn’t sound accusatory, not even disappointed. It was almost worse—she sounded like she believed in him. And he knew he couldn’t mess that up. Not again.
For a moment, silence settled between them, only the muffled sounds of voices from the main hall filtering in. Bas closed his eyes briefly, then turned to Ben.
“I don’t have a problem with you. As long as you know your limits.”
Ben raised his hands in surrender. “Got it. No intentions, nothing. It’s all strictly platonic.”
Bas let the words sink in, but they didn’t ease the tension in his chest. Ben could say whatever he wanted—it didn’t mean the unease would disappear. But Bas forced himself to nod.
Evin shot him a quick look, and he knew she was watching him—not to scold him, but to make sure he meant it. And damn it, he wanted her to see that. That he was doing this for her.
“Okay,” Bas murmured eventually. He couldn’t ignore it, not really, but he could let it… rest.
“But let me tell you one thing: if he provokes me, I’m not guaranteeing anything.”
Ben smirked slightly but nodded. “Understood.”
Evin stepped back, her shoulders relaxing as if she had just walked a tightrope.
Why do you even bother? he wanted to ask her, but the answer was obvious. She believed in him—even when he didn’t believe in himself.
“Good. Now, let’s get to work,” she said, her tone lighter, almost relieved, as she turned toward the door.
Bas watched her go, his gaze lingering a second too long on her back. He wasn’t an idiot—he knew he wasn’t the easiest person to deal with. But she still looked at him like he could be more. And that was enough to drive him insane.
Evin left the room. As Bas moved to follow her, Ben’s voice stopped him.
“Wait.”
That one word made him pause, turning back. Ben stood there, his hands relaxed at his sides, but there was a tension in his eyes that wouldn’t let go.
“I saw Sergej,” Ben said. “Earlier, near the loading entrance.”
The weight of the words hit Bas like a punch, knocking the air out of the room.
“What did you just say?” His voice was deep, almost a growl, as he took a step closer to Ben.
“I saw him here,” Ben repeated, slower now, as if he knew that every word was gasoline to a fire. “He was outside, no idea what he’s doing here. But—” He hesitated for a second, then shook his head. “I figured you should know.”
The rage hit Bas like a storm, hot and consuming. Sergej. Here. It was like every fiber of his being was rebelling, like everything inside him was demand ing confrontation. How dare this guy show up? After everything that… He wasn’t sure, not entirely. But he knew enough.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Bas asked, his voice rough, each word like a stone in his throat.
“I don’t know.” Ben shrugged, his gaze searching, almost apologetic. “But he had this look. Like he was here for a reason.”
The image of Sergej—casual, indifferent, just a few steps away from Evin—burned into Bas’ mind. The audacity to even be in the same space as her made his blood boil. Before he even noticed, his hands clenched into fists, the fury in him rising, hot and unstoppable.
“Do you know what happened between him and Evin?” Ben asked quietly, his brow furrowed, as if he was trying to piece together a puzzle he didn’t fully understand.
“No,” Bas forced out, his gaze locked on the floor. “But I know enough to be sure he has no business being here.”
Ben nodded slowly, but the look in his eyes remained skeptical, like he could sense there was more neither of them were saying.
“Whatever this was between them…” He paused briefly, his tone careful but direct. “I don’t think Evin can handle it alone.”
Bas lifted his head, and for a moment, his eyes were a storm—dark, unreadable.
“She won’t have to,” he said, his voice so quiet it was dangerous. “If he’s here, it’s not a coincidence. And if he makes one wrong move…”
He let the sentence hang in the air, but Ben shook his head. “Don’t make this worse, Bas.”
“That’s not your decision.”
With a sharp, determined step, Bas shoved the door open and disappeared outside. The cool air hit him, but it did nothing to cool the heat inside him. He didn’t know where Sergej was, but it didn’t matter.
The mere fact that he was here, that he had the audacity to come anywhere near her, made Bas’ vision blur with rage.
Bas didn’t know how this would end—but one thing was certain:
Sergej had already used up all his chances.