Desolate Love

Chapter 30: The Third Meeting

Vaughn POV

The days had bled together into one long, tedious stretch, and the thought of the third meeting had barely crossed my mind. I was too preoccupied with my work, my thoughts consumed by the art I had to get done, and the strange, gnawing tension that had taken root in my chest ever since Alec and Toby had shown up in my life again.

I hadn't thought much about the promise I'd made—the one where I agreed to let them try, to give them the full five meetings. If I was being honest, I hadn't even been counting the days. I hadn't wanted to. It felt like too much, like something that would keep pulling at me until I snapped.

But when the knock on the door came, I froze.

I'd been standing at my desk, working on the latest commission when I heard it—a soft but unmistakable knock. I could feel my pulse racing as my eyes darted to the clock. Sure enough, it was about time for the third meeting.

I hadn't expected it. I didn't even want it.

Alec hadn't come around much since the second meeting. He'd respected the space I'd asked for, which... made it easier to pretend I didn't care.

But now, here we were. The third meeting.

Taking a deep breath, I stood from my desk and made my way to the door, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling gnawing at the pit of my stomach. I knew it wasn't just about the meeting. It was about everything. The history. The hurt. The uncertainty that I couldn't escape.

When I opened the door, Alec was standing there, looking a little less put-together than usual. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, and there was a weariness in his eyes, a hint of something that I couldn't quite place.

But the moment he looked up at me, I saw it—the same determination that had been there the last time we spoke. He was ready to try again.

"Vaughn," he said softly, his voice almost too gentle. "Can we talk? It's time for the third meeting."

I didn't respond immediately. Instead, I just stood there for a moment, my eyes locked on him. A part of me wanted to slam the door in his face, to end this before it even started. But another part—one I didn't want to acknowledge—felt a strange pull.

I sighed, stepping back and gesturing for him to enter.

"Sure. Come in."

Alec hesitated for a moment, but then he stepped into the room. I could feel the weight of his presence as he moved past me, and I closed the door behind him.

I didn't say anything at first, just turning back to my desk and sitting down. I could feel Alec watching me, but I kept my focus on the empty canvas before me.

"Vaughn," Alec began, his voice still soft but firm, "we agreed to five meetings, right? We want to make it right. I know you're still angry, and I know you don't owe us anything... but please, let us try again. Let us show you we're serious about fixing this."

I kept my eyes on the canvas, trying to ignore the stir of emotions in my chest. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to keep letting them back into my life, to let them drag me through this cycle of pain and confusion.

But we had agreed to it. Five meetings. And I wasn't going to back out now.

"Fine," I muttered, more to myself than to him. "But this is the last one."

Alec didn't reply right away. I could hear him shift behind me, but I refused to look at him. The silence stretched between us, and I could feel the weight of his words in the air. He was trying. I could give him that. But I didn't know if I was ready to try, too.

"You don't have to forgive us," Alec said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "We don't expect that. We just... want to show you that we care. That we regret what we did."

I didn't respond immediately. I couldn't. My heart was racing, and my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. I wanted to tell him to leave. To walk away and never come back. But a part of me—one I hated—wanted to hear him out.

"Why are you doing this?" I finally asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. "Why do you care? Why now?"

Alec was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer than before. "Because we're sorry, Vaughn. We're sorry for everything. And because I can't live with the fact that we hurt you. Not anymore."

I turned to face him then, my breath catching in my throat. He looked sincere, but I didn't know if I could believe him. I didn't know if I wanted to.

"Why did you leave me?" I asked, my voice cracking with the weight of the question. "Why did you let me go through all that alone?"

Alec flinched, his gaze dropping to the floor. I could see the guilt written all over his face, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of something—something that resembled sympathy. But it was fleeting, disappearing as quickly as it came.

"We were stupid," Alec said quietly, his voice barely audible. "We were selfish. We didn't think. We thought you'd be fine on your own, and we didn't realize just how badly we were hurting you. And for that, I'm sorry. I can't take it back, but I'm here now. And I won't stop trying until you know just how sorry we are."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to let the emotion surge forward. I wanted to scream at him. To tell him how much it hurt to see him standing there, saying all the right things, when he was the one who had abandoned me.

But I didn't.

Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

"Just... just stop," I said, my voice low. "I can't do this right now."

Alec nodded, taking a step back. "Okay. I won't push you. But just know we're here. We're not going anywhere."

I didn't say anything in response. I just turned back to my desk, picking up my paintbrush and pretending to focus on the canvas before me. The room felt colder suddenly, and I could sense Alec's lingering gaze on my back, but I refused to acknowledge it.

He was right. We had agreed to five meetings. But that didn't mean I was ready for them to fix everything. Not yet.

Not ever.