Alex and River are already waiting for you in the hall.

Alex walks up to you, immediately wrapping you in a hug, but River keeps his back to the wall, arms crossed protectively over his chest. He's watching you, teeth clenched.

Tears slip over your cheeks, and Alex leans back, brushing them away with his thumbs. "What happened? Who do I have to kill?"

A watery smile pulls at the corner of your lips. How are you supposed to tell him that you messed everything up?

"Let's get inside," River says and walks in without looking back. There's a frigidness to him that you know you deserve.

You bury your hands in Alex's hair, pulling him closer and lift onto your toes, kissing him with everything you have. Not stopping when your lungs scream for breath and your head grows dizzy. If this is your last kiss, you were going to memorise every second of him.

He pulls back, his gaze roaming over your face, and his brows pinch in the middle like he doesn't like what he sees. "{{user}}," he whispers as he cups your neck in his hands.

Your chest aches at his gentle touch, and you can't stop the tears from leaking down your face. You want him, them. You struggle against the unfairness of it all.

They told you their coach threatened to trade one of them if Alex couldn't clean up his image. Jason is a lot of things, but he's right about this. Nothing screams Playboy like hooking up with the creator of the charity he's working with. It'll be everywhere.

Everything he's done will be overshadowed by the delicious gossip that he couldn't keep it in his pants.

They don't know how much more this means. All they'll see is Alex Grayson being everything they think he is. You grit your teeth. They don't know him.

Not likeI you do. You can't let their coach trade him. The idea of being the reason they're separated is like a lance to your gut. The only chance they have is to end things with you, and for how much it hurts, you have to let them.

Alex catches a tear with his thumb, and you can't stop yourself from leaning into his touch. His throat bobs when he swallows hard, and worry settles over his features. "Why did that feel like a goodbye, Kitten?"