Closer Than Ever

Sage

She reached the living room and stopped abruptly. Mia was right where I left her, sitting on the couch, quiet but unharmed. Her eyes lifted immediately when Eve appeared, and she straightened as if she’d been waiting for that exact moment.

“Mia,” Eve breathed, touching her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Mia said. “I told you I’m fine.”

Eve’s shoulders dropped in relief. For a moment, she forgot I existed, and something in my chest tightened at how easily she could shut me out.

I moved closer. “Do you believe me now?” My voice came out softer than intended, and that irritated me. I wasn’t here to comfort her.

She turned sharply. “You can’t just walk into my house, Sage.”

“You opened the door for me.”

“Mia opened the door for you.”

“Because she recognized me,” I said. “Everyone recognizes me.”

She folded her arms and took a step back. She was still shaking a little. She hated that I could see it.

“Look,” she said, “I told you I’m not doing this marriage thing anymore. I’m not forcing you into anything. So just… leave.”

I studied her face. The fear. The confusion. The tiredness. And underneath all of it, something she tried so hard to hide.

“You had a nightmare,” I said. “That’s why you woke up screaming.”

Her breath hitched. It was subtle, but I caught it.

She looked away. “And you were just… watching me sleep?”

“I came to see you,” I answered. “You were already asleep. I wasn’t going to shake you awake like a madman.”

“That would’ve been better than lying beside me!”

I almost smiled. “You looked peaceful for once. I didn’t want to ruin that.”

Her anger faltered for a second, as if she didn’t expect gentleness from me.

I let a small smirk touch my mouth. “And don’t pretend you didn’t like having me close.”

“I didn’t,” she said immediately.

I stepped toward her. “You sure?”

Her throat worked as she swallowed. She tried to hold her ground, but her pulse betrayed her.

One more step, and I was close enough to feel the heat off her skin.

“You said you don’t want the marriage anymore,” I said. “Fine. But don’t lie to yourself.”

Her eyes darted up to mine. “What do you want from me, Sage?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” I replied, voice steady. “But whatever it is… running from me won’t stop it.”

Mia stood there staring at the two of us with wide eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “You know what,” she murmured, “I’ll leave you two to talk alone.”

She took a step back, but Eve’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Eve didn’t even look at her; her eyes were locked on mine, sharp and steady.

“You go nowhere until I ask you to,” she said.

So Mia stayed rooted to the spot, stiff and awkward. The whole atmosphere shifted, thickening around us. It was strange, but I didn’t mind it. Eve was the only one who didn’t look shaken.

I tilted my head slightly. “Maybe you should allow her to leave. We could talk more freely without an audience.”

Eve shook her head. “Say whatever you want to say here. If Mia isn’t here, I leave with her. It’s either you talk in front of her or you leave. I don’t want this marriage thing anymore. That day, I was drunk. And why are you even coming to me? I thought you didn’t want this before.”

I scoffed, unable to hide my irritation. I hadn’t expected her to throw that back in my face. “Exactly. You knew I didn’t want this, but you kept pushing. You persisted, Eve. You made me want it.”

I stepped closer. I didn’t touch her, but I didn’t need to. My presence alone was enough to make the air shift.

“Now,” I said quietly, “I want you.”

Mia swallowed hard and shifted a step back. “You know, I can still leave,” she whispered.

“No,” Eve said, her voice calm, her eyes still on me. “Do not leave. Stay here.”

Mia froze again.

I let out a slow breath. “I guess we’ll have to talk about it in front of her.”

“Sure,” Eve replied. “Let’s do that.”

Her confidence, her refusal to bend, her stubbornness… it all pulled something deep inside me that I hated acknowledging.

Mia stood there staring at the two of us with wide eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “You know what,” she murmured, “I’ll really leave you two to talk alone. I… I can’t do this. I’ve tried enough!”

She took a step back, but Eve’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Eve didn’t even look at her; her eyes were locked on mine, sharp and steady.

“You go nowhere until I ask you to,” she said.

So Mia stayed rooted to the spot, stiff and awkward. The whole atmosphere shifted, thickening around us. It was strange, but I didn’t mind it. Eve was the only one who didn’t look shaken.

I tilted my head slightly. “Maybe you should allow her to leave. We could talk more freely without an audience.”

Eve shook her head. “Say whatever you want to say here. If Mia isn’t here, I leave with her. It’s either you talk in front of her or you leave. I don’t want this marriage thing anymore. That day, I was drunk. And why are you even coming to me? I thought you didn’t want this before.”

I scoffed, unable to hide my irritation. I hadn’t expected her to throw that back in my face. “Exactly. You knew I didn’t want this, but you kept pushing. You persisted, Eve. You made me want it.”

I stepped closer. I didn’t touch her, but I didn’t need to. My presence alone was enough to make the air shift.

“Now,” I said quietly, “I want you.”

Mia swallowed hard and shifted a step back. “You know, I can still leave,” she whispered.

“No,” Eve said, her voice calm, her eyes still on me. “Do not leave. Stay here.”

Mia froze again.

I let out a slow breath. “I guess we’ll have to talk about it in front of her.”

“Sure,” Eve replied. “Let’s do that.”

Her confidence, her refusal to bend, her stubbornness… it all pulled something deep inside me that I hated acknowledging.

“You really want her here?” I asked quietly, watching the faint tremble at the corner of her lips.

“Yes,” she said. “Whatever you want to say, you say it here.”

Her voice was steady, but her pulse was visible beneath her skin. I stepped closer, slow and deliberate, until Eve had to tilt her head a little to keep looking at me. She didn’t move away. She kept her ground with that same defiant posture that always pulled something fierce out of me.

“Fine,” I said, letting my gaze run over her face. “Then I’ll say it here.”

Her breath wavered for a second. She noticed the shift in my tone, the way I was looking at her, and the way I lowered myself into her space. Mia’s mouth parted like she was about to ask what was happening, but she didn’t get the chance.

I reached up and held Eve’s face between my hands, my thumbs brushing lightly along her cheekbones. She gasped, soft and startled, but not resisting. Her fingers curled slightly, like she didn’t know whether to push me away or pull me closer.

“Sage… don’t,” she whispered, though her voice betrayed her.