Play with the Phantom: Chapter 27

Ari

The beach house is quieter than it’s been all week. Suitcases sit by the door—mine packed with all new clothes, thanks to Maddox, and the Polly Pocket tucked away safely on top. The kitchen smells like freshly brewed coffee and nostalgia. By the time I grab my phone charger and purse, everyone is waiting out front to say goodbye.Asher’s already at his car, shutting the trunk. When he sees me, his mouth lifts into a tired smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.“Got everything?”I nod. “Yeah.”There’s a moment. Just silence. Just us. And it’s strange how something so steady can still feel so foreign.He exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess this is goodbye.”I’d arranged Frankie to come pick me up, and she was more than happy to do it. I figured a three-hour car ride with Asher would only lead to more awkwardness.“Guess so.” My voice is quieter than I mean it to be.“I hope you find what you’re looking for,” he says. No bitterness. No resentment. Just… the kind of grace that hurts more than anger ever could.“I hope you do, too.”We don’t hug. We don’t linger.And somehow, that feels like the most honest part of all of it.I wave at his car as he pulls out. Hannah steps up to me a moment later. Her smile is soft, knowing. I don’t think Asher told her, but my guess is she knows. Mothers always know.She reaches out and hugs me tight. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart. I hope we can see you soon.”I nod into her shoulder, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You too.”Otto pats my shoulder from behind. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”“Thank you again for having me. I had a wonderful time.”We all hug again, and then they leave, the tires of their SUV crunching against the white gravel driveway.Frankie should be here any minute. Wrapping my arms around myself, I sit on top of my suitcase and take in the warm sun. When I hear the front door of the house open, I look over my shoulder to find Maddox walking to his car, sunglasses low on his nose.He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t have to. He just watches me like I’m already his, like the goodbye I just said was the last barrier between us. There’s no awkwardness, nothing to make me feel like we’re about to say goodbye.After falling asleep in his bed last night, it’s like every pretense has been stripped from this thing between us. I want him, and he wants me. It’s as simple as that. With Asher, there was so much of the But with Maddox, it’s like our story was already written into the universe, like he’d already decided our fate and I never stood a chance.will he or won’t he? It feels like everything I’ve ever wanted is snapping into place.He drops his bag in the trunk of his car and then he walks over to me. “You sure you don’t want me to drive you?” he asks, voice low.“I’m sure. Thank you for the offer.”Maddox nods once, but I can tell he doesn’t like it. Not because he doesn’t trust me to make my own decisions, but because letting me go, even for a little while, is going to be hell for him.His hand comes to rest lightly on my hip. Just the weight of it makes my breath catch.“Text me when you get back,” he says, voice rough.“I will.”“And, Ari?” His fingers squeeze harder, just slightly. “You don’t have to pretend with me. About anything. Not anymore.”I nod, throat thick.He leans down, brushing his mouth against my cheek—barely a kiss, more like a claim whispered into my skin. “I’ll see you soon.”It’s not a question. It’s a promise.Then he steps back, but not before his fingers graze mine one last time, like he’s not quite ready to stop touching me. Like he needs to carry that last piece of me with him for the road.But just as he turns, he glances back. “Oh, and when you get home,” he says, voice dropping into that low, teasing rasp, “make sure to work on that fan fiction you’ve been writing for me.”I blink. My heart plummets. “What?”His smirk deepens, clearly enjoying the stunned look on my face. “Don’t worry. I didn’t read it. I wouldn’t invade your privacy like that.” His head tilts slightly. “But I do know about it. And for the record? I think it’s fucking cool.”My cheeks burn. I want the floor to swallow me whole. “It’s not—it’s not for you. It’s just⁠—”He steps back in before I can escape, catching my wrist gently. “Hey.” His thumb brushes over my pulse point. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I wasn’t trying to. I mean it. The fact that you’ve written a story that big, with that much heart, that people actually care about?” His voice softens, earnest. “That’s badass.”I swallow hard, my throat tight as I stare up at him.“And,” he adds, softer now, “I’m dying to know what happens to Murtagh and Nasuada…” He gives me a devilish grin, naming two characters from my story. My eyes widen. “Yeah, I did read a little bit. Couldn’t help myself. You’re kind of famous, you know that?”I gape at him. “You internet searched me?”“I searched everything about you,” he says unapologetically. “How do you think I found your wish list?”I sigh. “Psycho,” I mutter under my breath.He chuckles, his whole face brightening. “Hey. You should be proud.” He brushes his lips against my cheek again, more reverent this time. “Don’t ever be ashamed of being passionate about something.”And just like that, he walks away, leaving me standing there, completely undone—but warmer than I’ve felt in a long, long time.I’m pulled out of the moment with the sound of another car coming down the driveway. Waving at Maddox, I watch as he slips into the driver’s seat and starts his car. I know if I asked him to stay, even for just five more minutes, he would.Frankie. But I don’t, because right now, I need my friend.Maddox’s engine hums to life, and I watch the way his eyes linger on me through the windshield—burning, possessive, like he’s memorizing me all over again. Then, with a final nod, he pulls out of the driveway and disappears down the winding hill.I exhale, only just realizing I was holding my breath.The sound of Frankie’s door slamming pulls me the rest of the way back to reality. She’s already halfway to me, oversized sunglasses on, a giant iced coffee in hand.“Bitch,” she calls out, all grin and sass. “You look like you’ve just had the best sex of your life.”I laugh, the sound coming out too fast, too frayed.“Because I did.”Her brows rise above her sunglasses. “Okay, I’m not sure the three hours back is going to be enough. You have to tell me ”everything.I shake my head and pull her into a hug, grateful for the grounding weight of her tall, mother-like presence.As I inhale the familiar scent of her shampoo, I glance down the road where Maddox disappeared, my chest still fluttering.“This is for you,” she says, handing me the coffee. “Figured you could use it.”I take it and gulp the life sustenance down. “Thank you, bestie. And thanks for coming all the way out here to get me.”“Six hours of childfree time? It’s like a reward.”I huff a laugh and help her with my suitcase. Once we’re in the car and back on the road, she reaches for the volume and lowers the music, then glances at me like I’m a puzzle she’s trying to solve.“So,” Frankie says, nails clicking against the steering wheel, “I’m just going to take a wild guess. You dumped golden boy for his ex-con brother.”I groan. I hadn’t told Frankie anything that happened over the last few days because I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.“I cannot keep a single secret from you, can I?”“Absolutely not. I’m your best friend. It’s literally in the contract.”“Technically… yes. But I cheated on Asher, Frankie.” The guilt surfaces fast, hot in my chest. “And Maddox is… intense.”She snorts. “You say that like it’s a thing.”bad“It kind of is!”She eyes me sideways. “Okay, walk me through this. Did he coerce you? Threaten you? Drag you off somewhere against your will?”“No. I mean… maybe a little, but I wanted it. All of it.” I pause. “He did eat me out like a starving man and make me see God.”Her mouth drops open. “Oh my god.”I just laugh, and we sit in the comfortable silence for a few seconds.“Look, if you’re talking about a man who looks just like Asher but knows how to please you in bed, tattoos and no boring job? Come on. If you ride his face, I’d have to stage an intervention.”with didn’tI cackle. “I missed you.”She grins, unapologetic. “I missed you, too. In all seriousness, Ari… yeah, you cheated. And I know that eats at you. But that doesn’t mean you’re a terrible person, it means you were deeply fucking unhappy and didn’t know how to get out.”I stare out the window, her words sinking in like ink on paper.“Do you still love Asher?” she asks, voice softer now.“I think a part of me always will,” I murmur. “But I wasn’t love anymore. I think I just… held on because I was supposed to. Because he was safe.”inFrankie nods. “Safe isn’t always what you need, babe. Sometimes it’s just the thing keeping you stuck.”I shift in my seat. “It’s not that simple.”“Sure it is,” she says, reaching into the bag between us and pulling out a croissant. “You picked the hotter, dirtier, more dangerous brother. You are now living the plot of fan fiction I read in high school. Honestly, I’m living for it.”everyI can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me.“But seriously,” she says between bites, “I get that Maddox is a lot. Prison time, the smirking, the stalker-ish ‘you’re mine forever’ energy⁠—”“Super intense,” I mutter, nodding.“—but also? I bet he looks at you like he’d burn the whole goddamn world to the ground just to make you smile. And I say this as someone who married a man with a similar vibe, it’s fucking terrifying. But it’s also the most powerful thing in the world when it’s real.”I blink at her, emotion prickling at the backs of my eyes. “You think it’s real?”“I think think it is. And that’s enough.” She pauses, watching me. “But also? You’re scared shitless.”you“I am,” I whisper, and it feels like a confession.She grabs my hand and squeezes. “Good. That means it matters. The right kind of love doesn’t always feel safe. Sometimes it feels like a hurricane you can’t survive. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe it breaks down all the bullshit so you can finally build something real.”I swallow hard, throat tight.Then my phone buzzes in my lap.(858) 667-9960(Sent with car voice note) I’m still thinking about the way you tasted last night. And the way you whispered my name when you thought I was asleep.I slam the screen down quickly, cheeks burning like wildfire.Frankie doesn’t even flinch. “Let me guess,” she says dryly. “The criminal.”I nod, dazed.She takes a long sip of her water, calm as ever. “You’re so fucked.”And somehow, I’ve never been more okay with that.