𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 | 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟷

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚎

𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎

☆═━┈┈━═☆

Sofia went to Greece with Alexander.

I didn't put two and two together at first, when Melinda was working the desk every day. I only realized who she went with when he came back wearing Versace linen and cashmere, things that were far above his pay grade. He was glowing, physically and mentally. He was tanned and smelling of the sea when he returned a few days after Sofia broke up with me.

Sofia broke up with me.

The thought sent another pang through my heart, I had pushed her too far over the years, and thinking I got her back on the playing field with me, putting her back on the chessboard, she snapped. She played along for a few days, got a taste of what it would be like to be with me, and then she ran. Sofia ran because I wasn't brave enough to stand up to my friends, I treated her like shit and she let me because she loved me, and I did it because I knew she would always come back. She had always come back.

Except, this time she didn't. And she took Elena and Julianna with her.

They got the courage to run away from Mickey and Curtis when Sofia left. Or maybe they didn't know how to function without Sofia. Shit, I don't think I know how to function without Sofia. Every call went unanswered, every knock on her door was ignored, every text went without a reply. I was bursting at the seams, my heart was bleeding. Sofia had never gone this long without looking at me, I think it was nine days, I've lost count at this point. Every day she's not around, it felt like an eternity. I thought I burned myself into Sofia's heart, into her veins, turns out she burned herself into mine. Without me knowing.

Tonight was the first public event for us since our sudden split, rumors of infidelity swirling and Logan being missing tore us apart.

It was neither, I was a coward who knew I always had her, so I tormented her, I gave her moments of tranquility with me, only to push her away when she got too close. And I was paying for it.

And fuck did she look gorgeous tonight, the burgundy dress hugged her like a second skin, with an open back that gave me the perfect view of every dip in her spine, a diamond chain disappearing beneath the fabric that covered her hips, that red little devil tattoo on display as she posed for the cameras. Julianna and Elena had come with her, it was the first time the three of them arrived without a date. They sent the message they wanted to be received. That they didn't need men to belong. That they were enough.

I was itching to go over there and pin her against the standing wall, to claim her like she was mine, she's always been mine. Except right now, she wasn't. The girl who made my world spin wasn't mine.

Why was I so nervous to approach her? When did we all get inside? When the hell did billionaire British play boy, Carter King start talking to her?

The Tom Collins I was drinking was doing nothing to soothe the ache in my chest when she put her hand on his arm, laughing at something he said. Fuck, I forgot how beautiful she was when she laughed. I didn't even realize I was making my way over to her, or that Mickey and Curtis were following me, Sofia only realized when Elena nudged her, sparkling green eyes dulling when they landed on me. I don't know why I expected Carter to read the room, to leave so I could have a moment with my girl alone. She wasn't my girl anymore. But instead he positioned himself between her and I, just barely, enough where she could slip behind his body if she needed to.

"Steve, how wonderful is it to see you," Carter smiled, fuck him for being charming in front of Sofia, "been what, seven? Eight years?"

I hate him right now, "eight," I responded, "how's Isabella?"