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"We landed in Italy a few hours ago," she said.
"Bri, you don't have to do this," I pleaded. "Come home."
"The deal is done, Jay," she said. "Bella is here with me in Italy."
"Bri, please. You don't know Luca. You don't know what he's capable of."
"Jay, please let this go. I've already made my decision. If you love me, then marry Sadie and make lots of pretty babies and live a happy life together." KJ was pacing in front of me. "I will be okay, I promise. I'm a lot tougher than you think; this is a new drug-free start for me. It will be a good thing, I promise."
I opened my mouth to argue, but KJ snatched the phone out of my hand. "What about us, Bri?" Us? There was an us?
"KJ," she whispered, and I could hear the shift in her tone. Her words were laced with sorrow. "You deserve so much better than a drugged-out whore. Forget about me and go find your person. And please don't ever call me again."
"Bri," KJ snapped. How did I miss that Bri and KJ were a thing?
"Both of you, please respect my wishes. I love you guys," Bri shouted. "Send me an invite to the wedding, Jay."
And she was gone.
KJ stood silently staring at the dark phone for so long that I thought he might be in shock.
"You were in love with my sister?" I finally asked, keeping my tone void of any emotions. I wasn't sure how I felt about him being in love with Bri, not that it mattered now. She was gone, and he was heartbroken. KJ was a good man. I'd trusted him to protect and take care of Sadie because I knew without a doubt he would have given his life to protect hers, and he would have done the same for Bri. He would have been a much better choice for my sister.
"I am in love with your, sister," he corrected me. Sadie took a step forward, took the phone from KJ, handed it to me, and hugged him. Neither of them said anything. I wasn't sure there was anything left to say.
I was free but at the cost of my sister's freedom.
"What do we do?" KJ choked out.
"As much as I hate to say this," Sadie sighed, "You need to respect her wishes. If you fly to Italy and try to force her to leave, you're no better than they are. You have to let her make her own choices, and this was her choice."
Sadie was right. As much as I wanted to catch the next flight to Italy, there was no point. Bri was stubborn, and I couldn't force her to leave with me. After all these years of trying to protect her, she ended up being the one to save me.
My gaze flicked to Sadie. Last night happened because it was supposed to be our final night, but now it wasn't, and I didn't know how Sadie felt about that, but I would spend every minute of the rest of my life begging for her forgiveness if she'd let me. Bri had one request from me that I marry Sadie, and I intended to do just that. Maybe not today or this year, but I'd eventually wear her down.
forty-eight
SADIE
Sinking onto the couch,I stared forward as my mind reeled. I didn't know how to feel about this. I'd gone through a range of emotions and now felt completely numb to the situation.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Jayden should be saying his goodbyes to Bri and me, but instead, he's here, and Bri is on her way to Italy to marry a man she doesn't want to marry. A man who will mistreat her.
I'd told Jayden and KJ they should respect Bri's wishes, but did I really believe that? Or was I saying it selfishly because I wanted Jayden to stay?
No, Bri made a choice, and she made it for her brother, and there was no changing that now. I knew I was right, but I couldn't help the guilt pulling at my chest as I scolded myself.
Bri was my friend, and I was in love with Jayden, and I hated that there had to be a choice between the two. If I ever came face to face with that witch of a mother of theirs, I would tell her exactly that.
KJ was angry. He'd stormed off, and that literally broke my heart for him. She left without a word to any of us, but I knew it cut a little deeper for him. I understood why, though I wasn't sure I agreed with it. She thought she was doing what was best for everyone. This was something Bri and Jayden had in common. They made choices for everyone else without consulting them because they thought they were doing what was best for everyone. They believed they were making the hard decisions that no one else had the balls to make.
Bri was being selfless, which I didn't think she'd done very often. I just hoped she didn't regret it down the road.
The front door pushed open, and Jayden burst through. His fist clenched and jaw flexed. He was also angry. Angry at himself, his parents, Bri, and possibly even me a little. Not because I did anything but because if I hadn't been in the picture, this wouldn't have happened. Jayden would marry Bella, and Bri would still be here with KJ.
"You can still stay here if you want," Jayden said, stepping around the couch and stopping in front of me. "I can crash at the team house until everything is settled."
