EPISODE 19
ELIAS
I shouldn’t have come.
That thought hit me the second I stepped onto the yacht.
Not because of the noise.
Not because of the people.
Not even because of Lucia hovering too close, talking too much, touching when she didn’t need to.
No. Because of her.
Althea.
I saw her before she saw me.
And just like that— everything else stopped mattering.
My gaze locked on her like it had a mind of its own.
And for a second—
I forgot how to breathe.
She wasn’t dressed like she used to be.
Not soft dresses.
Not quiet colors.
No. This— this was something else.
A burnt-orange bikini, warm against her skin, the color catching the sunlight in a way that made it impossible to look away.
The fit wasn’t loud, wasn’t desperate—but it didn’t hide anything either.
It followed her.
Every curve.
Every line.
Effortless.
And that sheer white cover-up?
Useless.
Completely useless.
Because every time the wind moved— so did it.
Revealing just enough to make my jaw tighten.
My grip flexed at my side.
Control.
Get it together.
But then she turned.
And her eyes met mine.
And just like that—
I was right back where I swore I’d never be again.
Stuck.
⸻
“Damn.”
Lucian’s voice broke through beside me, low and amused.
“You’re staring.”
“I’m not,” I said flatly.
He didn’t even bother pretending to believe me.
“Right,” he muttered, taking a sip of his drink.
“You’re just… aggressively observing.”
“Shut up.”
He chuckled.
“She looks good.”
My jaw tightened.
“I can see that.”
“Can you?” he glanced at me sideways.
“Because from where I’m standing, it looks like it’s doing more than that.”
I didn’t respond.
Didn’t trust myself to.
Because the truth?
It wasn’t just that she looked good.
It was that she looked like— she didn’t need me.
And that— that sat wrong.
⸻
Then he showed up.
Adrian.
Of course.
Calm.
Collected.
Like he didn’t feel anything.
Like he didn’t see what I saw.
Or maybe he did.
Maybe that’s why he looked so comfortable.
My eyes tracked him as he walked toward her.
The way she turned to him— softer.
Easier.
That alone sent something sharp through my chest.
“You’ve got competition,” Lucian murmured.
“I don’t compete.”
He smirked.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
⸻
And then— they danced.
I didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t look away.
Because I couldn’t.
His hand at her waist.
Light.
Respectful.
But there.
Close enough.
Familiar enough.
And she didn’t stop him.
Didn’t pull away.
Didn’t hesitate.
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
Head tilting back slightly, shoulders relaxing, body moving easily with his.
Like it was natural.
Like it wasn’t the first time.
Something in me snapped.
Not loudly.
Not visibly.
But enough.
My grip tightened around the glass in my hand.
Too tight.
Lucian noticed.
“Easy,” he muttered.
“That glass didn’t do anything to you.”
I didn’t answer.
Because all I could see— was her.
With him.
And the way she wasn’t looking at me.
⸻
“Enjoying the show?”
Lucia’s voice slipped in beside me, smooth and irritatingly pleased.
I didn’t look at her.
“Move,” I said.
She didn’t.
Instead, she leaned slightly closer.
“You hate this.”
That got my attention.
I turned slowly.
Her smile widened.
“There it is,” she said softly.
“That look.”
“Lucia—”
“You can’t stand it,” she continued, eyes flicking toward the dance floor.
“Someone else touching her. Someone else making her laugh. Someone else getting what you—”
I grabbed her arm.
Not gently.
Her breath hitched.
“Enough,” I said, low and sharp.
But she just smiled.
Because she knew.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
And worse— she knew she was right.
⸻
I let go.
Stepped forward.
Toward them.
I wasn’t thinking anymore.
Didn’t care who was watching.
Didn’t care how it looked.
All I knew was—
I was done standing still.
⸻
“Well… this is entertaining.”
Lucia beat me to it.
Of course she did.
Her voice cut through the music, pulling attention instantly.
People turned.
Watched.
Whispered.
And just like that— it wasn’t private anymore. Enjoying the story?
It was a scene.
I saw Althea stiffen.
Saw Adrian remain calm.
Saw Lucia step in like she owned the moment.
And I felt it— control slipping.
⸻
Then Adrian spoke.
Calm.
Steady.
“I don’t think she is.”
That was it.
That was the moment.
Because he didn’t raise his voice.
Didn’t challenge me loudly.
But he stood there— like he had a right.
Like he belonged in her space.
And she let him.
⸻
“Walk away,” I told her.
She said no.
Of course she did.
Of course she looked me in the eye and said no.
And something in my chest tightened so sharply it almost felt like anger— but it wasn’t just that.
It was worse.
⸻
“Don’t make me ask again.”
I meant it.
I did.
Because if she didn’t move—
I wasn’t sure what I’d do next.
⸻
“Enough.”
Aria’s voice.
Sharp.
Clear.
Final.
She stepped between us before anything else could happen.
And just like that— everything stopped.
⸻
Her eyes locked on me.
Not soft.
Not patient.
Furious.
“I have had enough of you,” she said.
The words landed hard.
Public.
Unfiltered.
“Aria—”
“No,” she cut me off immediately.
“Don’t. Don’t even start.”
Silence spread around us.
People were watching now.
Really watching.
“You don’t get to do this here,” she continued, her voice rising just enough to carry.
“Not today. Not at my wedding events.”
I clenched my jaw.
“This isn’t about—”
“It is exactly about this,” she snapped.
“It’s about you standing here, acting like you have control over something that is not yours anymore.”
That hit.
Hard.
I didn’t respond.
Couldn’t.
Because part of me— knew she was right.
⸻
“And if you can’t control yourself,” she continued, her voice dropping slightly but somehow hitting harder, “or your little problem—” she shot a sharp glance at Lucia “—then maybe you shouldn’t be here at all.”
Lucia scoffed.
“Excuse me—”
“Not now,” Aria snapped.
Lucia went quiet.
For once.
⸻
Aria stepped closer to me.
Not backing down.
Not softening.
“If you can’t handle this,” she said, voice steady now, “then you can forget about being my best man.”
My chest tightened.
“And if that’s the case—”
She didn’t hesitate.
“Then get the fuck out.”
Silence.
Complete.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
⸻
I stared at her.
Then at Althea.
Then— at Adrian.
Still standing there.
Still calm.
Still close to her.
And for the first time since this started—
I didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
Didn’t react.
Because I knew—
Whatever I did next— would change everything.
⸻
Behind me, Lucian exhaled slowly.
“Yeah… that just escalated.”
Mira muttered, “I told you this was going to be messy.”
Ryan ran a hand over his face.
“Jesus.”
⸻
And Lucia?
She smiled.
Small.
Satisfied.
Because chaos— was exactly what she wanted.
No one moved.
Not immediately.
The music still played—low, steady—but it felt distant now.
Like it didn’t belong to us anymore.
Everything had shifted.
All eyes were still on me.
On Aria.
On the space between us.
“Then get the fuck out.”
Her words didn’t echo.
They settled.
Heavy.
Final.
I held her gaze for a second longer than I should have.
Then I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down my face.
“Relax,” I muttered, voice lower now, controlled again.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
A few murmurs broke out across the deck.
Lucian let out a quiet breath behind me.
“Good choice.”
Ryan stepped forward immediately, tension still written all over his face.
“Okay—alright.
That’s enough.
Everyone just—” he gestured vaguely, “—reset.
Please.”
Aria didn’t move at first.
Her eyes stayed on me, searching, warning.
Then, slowly, she stepped back.
But the look didn’t leave her face.
Not even close.
⸻
I turned.
Not toward Lucia.
Not toward Lucian.
Toward her.
Althea.
She hadn’t moved either.
Still standing where I left her.
Adrian beside her.
Too close.
Always too close.
My jaw tightened again.
“Elias.”
Lucia’s voice slid in behind me, softer now, almost cautious.
I didn’t even look at her.
“Not now,” I said.
She went quiet.
For once.
⸻
The tension didn’t disappear.
It just… shifted.
People started moving again, slower this time, more aware.
The music picked up slightly.
Conversations restarted—but quieter, edged with curiosity.
Everyone had seen it.
Of course they had.
And now— they were waiting.
⸻
“Wow,” Mira said suddenly, stepping into the space like nothing had happened.
“That was… intense.”
Lucian snorted.
“You loved it.”
“I did,” she said easily.
Then her eyes flicked between all of us, sharp, calculating.
“But we can’t stay like this. It’s awkward.”
“Speak for yourself,” Lucia muttered.
“Oh please,” Mira shot back.
“You thrive in awkward.”
Lucia smiled faintly.
“Only when it’s entertaining.”
“Yeah, we noticed.”
⸻
Ryan rubbed the back of his neck.
“We need to fix this.”
“We?” Lucian raised a brow.
“Or him?” he nodded subtly toward me.
“Lucian,” Aria warned.
“I’m just saying.”
⸻
Mira clapped her hands once.
Loud.
Decisive.
“Okay, no. We’re not ruining this day. Not on my watch.”
I almost scoffed.
But she kept going.
“We need something to shift the energy,” she said, already thinking ahead.
“Something fun. Something chaotic.”
Lucian’s grin returned instantly.
“I like where this is going.”
“Of course you do.”
Aria crossed her arms, still tense but listening.
“Mira…”
“No, hear me out,” Mira insisted.
“We’re on a yacht, everyone’s hot, slightly irritated, and clearly not over their issues—” her eyes flicked directly to me, then to Althea, then to Adrian “—so we lean into it.”
“That sounds dangerous,” Ryan said.
“It is,” Mira agreed.
“That’s the point.”
⸻
Lucia tilted her head slightly.
Interested now.
“Go on,” she said.
Of course she would like this.
⸻
Mira’s smile turned slow.
Sharp.
“We play a game.”
Silence.
Then—
Lucian laughed.
“Oh, this is about to be good.”
Ryan groaned.
“No.”
“Yes,” Mira said immediately.
“We need something to break the tension. And what better way than forcing everyone to interact?”
“That sounds like a terrible idea,” Aria muttered.
“It sounds like the best idea,” Lucia corrected smoothly.
Of course she agreed.
Of course she did.
Her eyes flicked toward me briefly.
Then toward Althea.
Calculating.
Planning.
⸻
“What kind of game?” Adrian asked calmly.
That calm again.
It irritated me more than it should.
Mira’s grin widened.
“Oh, you know,” she said lightly.
“Something simple.”
Lucian leaned forward.
“There’s nothing simple about that face.”
She ignored him.
“Truth or dare.”
Ryan groaned louder this time.
“Absolutely not.”
“Yes,” Lucia said, almost immediately.
Aria looked between them.
“Are you both insane?”
“Probably,” Mira said.
“But it’ll work.”
“It’ll cause problems,” Aria corrected.
“It’ll expose problems,” Mira said.
“Big difference.”
⸻
I crossed my arms, watching.
Listening.
Not interfering.
But my eyes— they kept drifting.
Back to her.
To the way she stood.
To the way Adrian’s presence still hovered too close to her space.
To the way she didn’t step away.
⸻
Lucian smirked.
“I’m in.”
“Of course you are,” Ryan muttered.
“What? You’re telling me you don’t want to see how this plays out?” Lucian gestured subtly between all of us.
Ryan hesitated.
Then sighed.
“…I hate that I kind of do.”
⸻
“Exactly,” Mira said, satisfied.
“It’s settled.”
“It’s not settled,” Aria said quickly.
But she sounded less certain now.
⸻
Lucia stepped forward slightly, voice smooth.
“It could be fun,” she said.
“Unless someone’s afraid.”
Her gaze slid directly to me.
Challenge.
Clear.
I held her stare.
Unmoved.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” I said flatly.
“Good,” she replied softly.
Then her eyes shifted— to Althea.
“And you?”
⸻
Everything in me stilled.
Waiting.
Watching.
⸻
Althea hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then she lifted her chin slightly.
“I’m not either.”
Of course.
Of course she wasn’t.
⸻
Adrian glanced at her, then back at the group.
“If she’s in,” he said calmly, “I’m in.”
That— that irritated me more than anything else so far.
The ease.
The loyalty.
The way he just— stepped in.
⸻
“Great,” Mira clapped again.
“We’re doing it.”
Ryan sighed deeply.
“This is a bad idea.”
Lucian grinned.
“That’s how you know it’s going to be fun.”
⸻
Aria looked around at all of us.
At the tension that still hadn’t fully disappeared.
At the way everyone was pretending— but not really.
Then she exhaled.
“…Fine.”
Mira lit up.
“Yes!”
“But,” Aria added quickly, her tone sharp again, “we keep it controlled. No one takes it too far.”
Lucia smiled faintly.
“That depends,” she said.
⸻
My gaze moved back to Althea.
Locked.
Held.
Unspoken tension stretching between us again.
This time— with no escape.
No distance.
No distraction.
⸻
Because now— we were about to be forced into it.
All of it.
Truth.
Dares.
Choices.
Reactions.
⸻
And something told me— this game?
Wasn’t going to fix anything.
It was going to make everything worse.