CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
653 Words
Chapter Twenty-seven
The night air was cool as they stepped out of the restaurant. Christopher and Annabel went ahead, laughing at something only the two of them seemed to find funny, leaving Briella and Marcellus a few paces behind.
For once, Briella didn’t rush to catch up. She stayed where she was, walking slowly, her heels clicking softly against the pavement. Marcellus matched her pace without a word.
When they reached the cars, Christopher called over his shoulder. “We’ll see you both tomorrow!” Annabel waved dramatically before climbing into the passenger seat. In a blink, they were gone, leaving Briella and Marcellus in the quiet parking lot.
Briella folded her arms, staring at the ground. “They haven’t changed at all,” she murmured, almost to herself.
Marcellus leaned against his car, watching her closely. “You mean Chris and Belle?”
She nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Always loud, always carefree. Sometimes I envy them.”
“You used to be like that too,” he said softly.
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing slightly. “I’ve changed.”
Marcellus didn’t flinch. “I know. But change doesn’t erase who you are, Brielle. It just… hides it sometimes.”
His words hit deeper than she wanted to admit. Briella looked away, blinking quickly. “You don’t get to say things like that. Not after everything.”
He stepped closer, his voice lower now. “You’re right. I don’t deserve to. But I can’t stop seeing the girl who used to laugh so hard she cried. The one who dragged me out of my own darkness more times than I can count. That’s still you, Brielle.”
Her chest tightened painfully. For years she had dreamed of hearing him say her name like this again, of feeling that sincerity in his voice. But now that it was here, it only made her want to scream.
She turned away, fumbling with her car keys. “It’s late. I should go.”
Marcellus reached out, gently but firmly catching her wrist. “Wait.”
Briella froze. His hand was warm against her skin, his grip steady. Slowly, she looked back at him. His eyes searched hers, not with arrogance or authority, but with something raw, something vulnerable.
“Let me drive you home,” he said simply.
She wanted to argue, wanted to throw his offer back at him, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she sighed, handing him the keys without a fight.
The drive was quiet. The city lights blurred past, and for once Briella didn’t fill the silence with thoughts of work or family or the Tristan threat. She just sat, listening to the steady hum of the engine, aware of how close he was.
When they pulled up to her house, she hesitated before stepping out. Marcellus turned off the ignition but didn’t move.
“Brielle,” he said softly. “I know I’ve hurt you. I can’t take back the years, no matter how much I wish I could. But if you’ll let me… I’ll spend whatever time I have left proving to you that I’m not going anywhere again.”
Her throat tightened. She opened the door quickly, stepping out before her emotions betrayed her. But just as she reached her front steps, she stopped. Turning back, she met his eyes through the open window.
“Goodnight, Marci,” she whispered, the name slipping out before she could stop it.
For the first time in a long while, his lips curved into a smile. A genuine, unguarded smile.
Briella didn’t wait to see more. She rushed inside, leaning against the closed door with her heart racing. She hated him. She missed him. She didn’t know how to feel.
But one thing was certain—Marcellus was back, and this time, he wasn’t letting go.
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✨ End of Chapter Twenty-seven ✨
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