Chapter 23 : Love Thy Enemy " Ari ... ? " Zach asked , holding my hand now . I pulled my hand away and stepped back . " You should go . Liam is asleep . " " I was actually planning on staying here for a night . " He dropped a duffel bag on the doorway and stepped in , deliberately shoving Neil aside . " You had the nerve , huh? " " I'm tired , Ari . Let's have this argument tomorrow , okay ? " I sheepishly looked at Neil and he understood . He dropped a feathery kiss on my cheek before turning to go . That night , Zach slept on the couch . The next day , Liam's laughter echoed across the frosted windows of the cabin , his snow boots thudding on the wooden floor as he chased after Zach with a foam sword . I stood by the sink , washing the last of the mugs , watching them through the open arch that framed our modest living room . Zach had stayed longer than I expected . At first , I thought it would be a night . A courtesy visit . An awkward check - in before vanishing again . But then Liam asked him - with eyes too bright to say no . " Dad , can you stay for a week ? Please ? Just one week ? " I saw the way Zach's mouth parted in surprise , the flicker of hesitation that passed through his gaze before softening completely . " Of course , bud . I'd love to . " I should've stopped him . I should've said we had our routine now , our peace . But Liam's joy - so pure and rare - swallowed my protests . Besides , I wasn't the only man Liam was growing fond of . Neil was next door . Literally . He'd rented the cabin beside ours two months ago , " just in case you needed help settling in , " he said with that calm , unbothered smile that only Neil could pull off . I was grateful at first - he shoveled snow , fixed my leaky faucet , brought groceries without asking . But now ? Now he was always there . And Zach noticed . Every time Neil knocked , Zach's jaw tensed . Every time Neil called me Ari with that low , intimate tone , Zach would glance up like a lion watching another alpha near his territory . It was absurd . Childish . I hated it . I also couldn't look away . That morning , I walked outside to find them together on the front porch . Neil was helping Liam assemble his sled , while Zach stood stiffly beside him , holding a thermos of hot cocoa like it was a grenade . Neither spoke to the other . " Morning , " I said lightly , pulling my scarf tighter around my neck . Neil turned first . " Hey , you sleep okay ? The wind picked up last night . " " Yeah , " I nodded . " Thanks for checking . " " I fixed the latch on your gate . It kept swinging open ." Before I could respond , Zach jumped in . " That's odd . I already fixed that yesterday ." Neil smiled , too polite . " Guess it needed a second hand . " I bit back a sigh . Liam didn't seem to notice the tension . Or maybe he did - but loved the attention too much to care . Later that evening , after dinner , I found Zach sitting by the fireplace with a blanket draped over his legs , Liam snuggled beside him already asleep . I stood in the kitchen , arms folded . " He asked me to read it twice , " Zach said quietly . " I used to hate reading when I was his age . " " He's never asked anyone twice , " I replied , my voice softer than I expected . Zach smiled , but it didn't reach his eyes . " I'm sorry , " he said . " For everything . " The words hung in the air between us , as fragile as frost on glass . " You can't just show up and pretend nothing happened . " " I know . " " You cheated . You gave her power over our lives . You made me feel small . " " I made you feel alone ," he said , his voice raw . " But I never stopped loving you . " Before I could answer, Neil's knock echoed at the door . " Maybe that's Neil ." Zach's face tightened again . I didn't miss it . Neil came in with a movie DVD and two tubs of popcorn . " Thought I'd drop this off . Liam wanted a movie night . " " Thanks , " I said , trying to remain neutral . Neil handed Liam the snacks and gave me a small wink . " I'll let you guys enjoy . Unless ... you need help setting up ? " " We're fine , " Zach cut in , preening his body over me . Neil raised his brows but said nothing . " Alright then . Goodnight . " As the door clicked shut , Zach stood . " You sure know how to pick a new neighbor . " I turned to him , crossing my arms . " What is your problem ? " He stepped closer . " My problem is that I'm trying to fix things , and he's always here- smiling , acting like he belongs in our family . " " He's just being kind . " " He's replacing me . " " You replaced yourself , Zach . " The words hit him like ice water . He stared at me , wounded , angry , cornered . " I made mistakes , yes . But you think I don't lie awake every night regretting them ? You think I don't replay it all , wondering how I lost the best thing I ever had ? " " Regret doesn't change what you did . " His chest rose and fell . His voice dropped . " What if I said I still want you ? " I stepped back , heart pounding . " Don't . " " I see the way you look at me , Arianne . You still feel it . You still burn when I'm near ." I swallowed . " You're delusional . " " Then tell me you don't want this , " he whispered , stepping closer until I felt the heat radiating from his chest . " Tell me you don't think about us every night when it's cold and quiet and you feel alone . " I opened my mouth - to push him away , to scream - but his mouth was already on mine . It was desperate . Hot . Familiar in the most painful way . Our hands tangled , pulling clothes , scratching skin , until we collapsed in front of the fireplace , flames casting our shadows on the walls . His lips on my neck . My hands on his back . Breathless apologies in between . We shouldn't have ... but we did . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. 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