Mason froze mid-step when he heard Ava's voice. Her call was faint, almost lost in the noise of the crowded airport, but it reached him, stopping him in his tracks. He turned slowly, his eyes locking onto hers as she hurried toward him.

She didn't love him. He knew this more than anyone but he can't—no—he doesn't want to give up on making her see him.

That is the only way.

Ava didn’t care about the stares from strangers or the tension radiating from Orion behind her. She reached Mason, throwing her arms around his neck in an embrace that caught him off guard.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice...