wasn’t even there anymore — and somehow she was still getting under his skin.

Tadhg Lynch completely lost it alone in the kitchen. He yelled at the empty room, slammed his hand against the counter, then poured himself something strong. Anything that burned enough to help him forget. Anything that might let him think about her without that damn compassion creeping in.

Because in the end, it had always been him. Him staying up until the early hours, answering broken phone calls. Him driving across town in the middle of the night to pull her out of the messes she got trapped in. Him picking up the pieces — while the two of them were clearly never working the way they should have.

He knew he should hate her.

For wasting so much breath trying to comfort her when she wouldn’t even let him. For giving everything he had while they fell apart anyway.

He could kill her if he loved her just a little less. He had never met anyone so unstable, stubborn, and infuriating. He should hate her for the breakup. For the tears he cried when no one was watching. For the hours spent thinking about her.

He should.

But he didn’t.

Now the only thing he wanted was to see her. To know if she was okay.

Fuck it, right?

Tadhg grabbed his keys and drove to her place, because who was he trying to fool? He loved that hard-headed idiot. She was worth it.

He needed her just as much as she needed him — he was just too thick-skinned to admit it.

When she opened the door, there she was.

Too beautiful. She always had been. It was impossible not to look at her, impossible not to feel his chest tighten. He was so fucked.

She opened her mouth — probably to pretend she was fine, throw a bitter comment at him, and tell him to leave.

“No.” Tadhg stepped closer, closing the distance completely. “Let me talk first. Just this once in my life.”

She closed her mouth, sighed, then nodded.

“You’re the most irritating and difficult person I’ve ever known,” he said, his voice raw. “You push me away every time things start going right. You think you can handle the world on your own. You don’t know how to ask for help.”

He took a breath.

“I should hate you for ending things the way you did. But I don’t hate you. Not even close. And that’s exactly why I’m here.”

She swallowed hard, her voice low and fragile. “Then why are you here?”

“Because I love you.”

Simple. Honest. Unprotected.

“I love you so much that sometimes it feels like my chest is too small to hold it all. I love you when you’re stubborn, unbearable, and a complete idiot. I love you.” He stepped closer, his hand coming up to cradle the back of her neck. “My heart is yours to break as many times as you want.”

“Tadhg…” she whispered, her expression just as vulnerable as his.

“I love you, for fuck’s sake.” His voice cracked just slightly. “Now can you stop being an idiot and let me show you that love?”