Page 208 of Chasing Ruin
I snort softly. “Yeah, I did,” I answer Lana, my eyes drifting back to Theo.
He’s standing with Hound and Spike, all three of them deep in conversation. Their expressions are as serious as ever.
“Do what?” Stephanie repeats, louder this time.
“She changed the title on his cut,” Lana leans in and points straight at Theo.
Stephanie’s head finally snaps up. “Oooh!” She bumps her shoulder against Lana’s. “Well, now Hound can get that SAA stitched.”
Lana’s grin widens.
I tune them out after that, catching just enough of their chatter to hum in the right places while my attention stays fixed on Theo.
A few minutes later, he breaks away from the group and starts walking toward me.
Right on time. It’s time to present the cut and the speech.
Lana and Stephanie dissolve into a fit of giggles over something I miss entirely before slipping away.
“Hey, baby,” Theo murmurs, leaning down to kiss me properly. The kind of kiss that makes my knees go a little weak.
I sway into him before I can stop myself, breath catching. “Is it time?” I ask, still a little dazed.
He grunts, clearly not thrilled.
Right.
Speech.
Prez duties.
It hits me then—he’s probably thinking about Dane. About the absence sitting heavily over all of this.
“Don’t be nervous,” I say lightly. “It’s just a speech.”
He scoffs immediately. “I’m not nervous.”
And I believe him. But that doesn’t mean he’s okay.
I study him for a beat—really look—and something in me decides he needs a push or a distraction. Or maybe I just feel like fucking with him.
And so the idea forms.
“You’re not?” I tilt my head, pretending to consider it. “Okay. Well… good luck anyway.”
I give his chest a small shove. “Go, get started.”
He huffs out a laugh, shaking his head, eyeing the crowd that’s starting to gather.
Then, before I can overthink it, before I can dress it up or make it perfect like I kept planning… “Go, Theo,” I shove him again. “I love you.”
He smiles down at me, leaning as he drops a quick kiss against my lips like it’s any other moment, and walks away.
Like I didn’t just—what?
He takes one step.
Two.
