Page 95 of Colton

“I’m not asking you anything,” he says softly, and my heart melts at the tone. “This isn’t a proposal of any kind. This is just a small gift for you, to show you just how much you mean to me. It’s a promise that I’ll cherish you forever.”

“What if we break up?” I blurt out.

Colton laughs, then takes the bracelet out of the box and slowly puts it around my wrist. As cliché as it sounds, it’s a perfect fit. The cool feeling of the bracelet against my skin makes me shudder, and when I look back at Colton, all I see is pure adoration in his eyes.

“If we break up, then you can sell it for good money,” he says. “I think you’d get around four grand for it.”

“Don’t even joke about this! It’s your mother’s! I’d never sell it. If anything, I’d return it.”

“No,” his hand clasps over mine softly. “It was my mother’s. Now, it’s yours.”

“Colton…”

“Listen, Avalon,” he says, and I can’t break eye contact. “I’ve told you this numerous times, but I truly want you to understand how serious I am. You mean the world to me. The day you’re ready to be my wife, I’ll know. This isn’t me putting pressure on you; it’s simply me telling you that I want you to stay.”

I swallow a knot that forms in my throat, feeling the tears swelling in my eyes.

He means it.

Every single word.

This man that I’ve spent time and time fantasizing about, the man I deemed so unapproachable, is opening his heart to me. All the fears I’ve had seem to vanish in a blink of an eye, and the world around us fades away.

It’s just the two of us, sitting on a bench away from everyone who knows us. Here we can be ourselves and show our affection freely. Even if it’s for one morning, I’m seizing the opportunity.

Because God knows this peace won’t last forever.

36

Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and before I know it, the exam season is over, and we’re about to graduate.

The winter break was something, alright. At this point, Sinners and Saints should be renamed the Sophia and Soren fan club, because the past several months were filled with news about the two. Some were rather juicy, though I already knew about them firsthand from Sophia.

To no one’s surprise — they got together. To say it was an easy road would be a filthy lie, though they somehow managed to overcome all their issues and start a proper relationship. How? I don’t know, and quite frankly, I don’t want to know.

Grace told Lila and Sophia about her engagement, too, and the wedding is only a few months away. They’re getting married in August, and it’s a destination wedding. Sophia’s going to be Grace’s maid of honor, while Lila and I are going to be bridesmaids.

I don’t want to say too much, but it’s as though Kenzo and Grace have gotten closer, too. Is it a relationship? No, far from it. But it’s getting better, and it makes me feel a bit better knowing she won’t suffer too much in that marriage.

Colton and I have been seeing each other in secret all these months. I spent the holidays with my family and Sophia, as planned, then he took me to Saint Valley for New Year’s. I don’t even want to start on the gifts — the man spoiled me rotten, yet again. I got to meet his sister, too. She’s lovely, and although she seems wary of me, she isn’t rude or judgemental about our age gap. Which, frankly, I wouldn’t fault her.

He took me to a party that’s only for the five families and a couple of other influential families from Saint Valley. It was one of those parties you see in movies, with a grand venue, a chandelier with so many crystals that it’s almost blinding, and food that is to die for.

We made plans for the first week after my graduation, too. He’ll take me away to Greece as my graduation gift, and Sophia’s been helping me slowly get ready. She’s been to Greece more than once, and she’s already prepared a list of meals I need to try, places to visit, and the most common sightseeing spots.

“What are you looking at?” Sophia asks Grace, and that breaks my train of thought.

Grace’s on Sophia’s bed, scrolling on her phone, brows narrowed. There have been some Sinner and Saints website posts about her and Kenzo as well, and she’s been more than pissed about it. She didn’t want people knowing about the engagement, and with an ex-girlfriend that Kenzo has, it’s been one hell of a shit storm on that front.

“Wedding dresses,” she mumbles.

Sophia pales. “You still haven’t decided on a wedding dress?! Are you insane?!”

Grace looks up from her phone, raising one brow. “Stop yelling. And the wedding is three months away; there’s time.”

“How can you be this disorganized?” Sophia hisses. “I already chose my dress!”

“Great!” Grace grins. “Is it in a pale shade of yellow?”