Andrei "Yoshi" Iosivas x GF!Reader (Fluff)

Tee Higgins x Fianceé!Reader (Crack)

Ja’Marr Chase x Reader ~ Smutty

Joe Burrow x Wife!Reader (Crack)

CeeDee Lamb x GF!Reader (Smutty)

Justin Jefferson x Wife!Reader (Fluffy)

A/N: I love ending fics on a happy note. That took me three hours, granted i was texting frl at the same time. BUT i locked in for the first time and finished that shit. I'm proud of me.

By June, life had finally settled into something that felt… normal.

Not perfect—but stable.

Milan and Andrei had rebuilt their world piece by piece. Trust, routine, laughter, intimacy—it all came back stronger this time. Their marriage felt solid. Safe. Earned.

Sorina was thriving.

Seventeen months old now—running more than walking, babbling nonstop, her curls longer and wilder than ever. “Dada” and “Mama” still ruled her vocabulary, but she had added little sounds and half-words that made Milan laugh every single day. She was bold. Social. Happy.

And because both Milan and Andrei were working—him at practice, her at the hospital—Sorina still spent her weekdays at Little Learners Daycare, just five minutes from Paycor Stadium.

Drop-offs had become routine.

Pickups too.

Everything was structured.

Safe and predictable.

They truly believed— that was the end of Lola.

But it wasn’t.

Since that last confrontation, Lola had unraveled quietly.

No dramatic scenes.

No calls.

No showing up at the house.

Just… disappearance.

And in that silence, something darker had taken root.

Earlier that week, she emptied her bank account completely.

Every dollar gone.

Then she went to CVG and bought a one-way plane ticket to Cancún, Mexico—cash.

No paper trail beyond that.

A month before, she had already been slipping into corners of the internet she had no business being in—dark forums, fake documents, connections that didn’t ask questions.

And now—

Sorina had a valid passport.

That morning, Lola stood in front of a mirror that barely reflected who she used to be.

Her blonde hair was gone.

Dyed jet black.

Cut short.

Sharp.

Unrecognizable.

She pulled a cap low over her head, grabbed her duffle bag, and walked out like she had already committed to something she couldn’t undo.

Little Learners Daycare Center buzzed softly with the usual midday energy—kids laughing, teachers moving between rooms, the hum of normalcy.

Lola walked in like she belonged.

Because once— she did.

Diane, the director, looked up from the front desk.

“Oh! Lola?” she said, blinking before smiling wide. “Girl, I almost didn’t recognize you. Nice color!”

Lola smiled back—easy, practiced.

“Thank you.”

“You here to get Sorina?” Diane asked casually.

Lola nodded, steady on the outside, heart racing on the inside.

“Yeah. Andrei has a late practice and Milan’s working late today,” she said smoothly.

Diane didn’t question it. Why would she?

“Y’all make this parenting thing look easy, I swear,” Diane laughed. “I love y’all.”

Lola nodded again, forcing a small laugh.

“I’ll go grab her.”

Seconds felt like hours.

Then— Diane came back out, Sorina on her hip.

And the moment Sorina saw her—

her whole face lit up.

“Lala! Lala!” she sang, bouncing excitedly.

Lola’s chest tightened instantly.

“Hi, baby,” she whispered, reaching for her.

Sorina went right to her.

No hesitation, no fear. Just love.

Lola signed her out on the tablet.

Picked up her diaper bag, walked out the door, and didn’t look back.

At 4:00 PM sharp, Milan pulled into the daycare parking lot.

Another normal day, another routine pickup.

She walked in with a small smile.

“Hi, Ms. Diane!”

Diane looked up, confused.

“Oh—did Sorina leave something?”

Milan paused. Her face scrunched slightly.

“Uh… no. I’m here to pick her up.”

Diane blinked.

“Sorina isn’t here. She was already picked up.”

There was a beat. Then Milan laughed lightly, shaking her head.

“That damn man,” she muttered, pulling out her phone. “He must’ve gotten out of practice early and didn’t text me.”

Diane frowned slightly.

“No… Lola said y’all were working late. She picked Sorina up around one.”

Everything stopped. The room seemed to spin.

The color drained from Milan’s face so fast it made Diane take a step back.

“…Who?” Milan said, her voice barely there.

“Yeah,” Diane said slowly, confusion turning into concern. “She said—”

“Diane,” Milan cut in, her voice shaking now. “What do you mean you let the woman I removed from Sorina’s paperwork and pickup list MONTHS AGO take my baby out of here three hours ago?”

Silence.

Diane’s face dropped.

“Oh… shit.”

The air left Milan’s lungs.

Completely.

Like something reached inside her chest and pulled it all out at once.

Where is her baby?

“WHAT THE FUCK!!!!”

Diane was already grabbing the phone, dialing 911 with trembling hands.

Milan was heaving trying to call Andrei.

No answer, tries again, and no answer.

Panic hit full force. She ran out the door still calling, still nothing.

She jumped into her car, hands shaking so bad she nearly dropped her phone, and sped toward Paycor.

Tears blurred her vision.

Her breathing came fast, uneven, bordering on hysteria.

“Pick up… pick up… pick up…” she sobbed.

She didn’t even park properly.

Just threw the car into park and ran inside.

Still calling.

Still no answer.

“Where’s Andrei?!” she shouted the second she got through the doors.

People turned immediately.

“Mrs. Iosivas—he’s in the film room,” an intern said quickly.

Milan didn’t wait.

She ran down the hall, heart pounding so loud she could hear it in her ears.

She burst through the door.

Light from the hallway cut into the dark room.

“Andrei!” Milan sobs.

“Baby?” Andrei said, standing up immediately, confused.

Lights flicked on.

He saw her face— and everything in him shifted.

He rushed to her instantly.

“What? What happened?” he asked, grabbing her arms.

Milan tried to speak but nothing came out.

Just broken sounds.

Air.

Panic.

“Baby—what’s going on?!” he said louder, fear creeping in.

Her chest heaved.

Tears streamed uncontrollably.

And then—

finally—

“LOLA TOOK SORINA!”

The room froze and the guys looked worried.

Behind her, police officers entered quickly, following her in.

Andrei blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Like his brain refused to process it.

“What the fuck do you mean?” he said slowly, voice dropping into something dangerous. “She isn’t on the list. How the fuck did they let her just take our baby?!”

Milan is pacing, crying, and heaving. She couldn’t hold herself up anymore.

Her knees gave out.

Andrei caught her immediately.

“Hey—hey—hey—stay with me,” he said, pulling her against him as her body shook.

But his own hands weren’t steady either. Because the truth was already settling in.

Real heavy, cold, and terrifying.

Their daughter—

was gone.

The ride back to the daycare felt unreal, like everything was happening too fast and too slow at the same time. Police escorted Milan and Andrei back to Little Learners, lights flashing faintly against the late afternoon sky. Milan hadn’t stopped crying, her body shaking in waves as Andrei kept one arm wrapped tightly around her, the other gripping his phone as he called Lola again and again. Each call went straight to voicemail. Each unanswered ring made the situation feel more final, more terrifying.

When they arrived, the daycare was no longer the warm, cheerful place it had been just hours before. Police cars lined the curb. Officers moved in and out of the building with urgency, speaking to staff members who looked pale and shaken. The normal sounds of children were gone. It felt hollow. Wrong.

The moment Milan stepped inside, Diane rushed toward her, her face streaked with tears and panic. “I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry,” she kept repeating, hands trembling as she reached out slightly like she didn’t know whether she was allowed to touch her. Milan couldn’t even look at her. Her chest was too tight, her mind spiraling too fast. The apology meant nothing. It couldn’t fix anything.

Andrei stepped forward instead, his presence protective and sharp, placing himself slightly in front of Milan as if to shield her from everything happening. His jaw was clenched so tight it looked painful. His phone was still pressed to his ear, calling, calling, calling. Nothing.

A detective approached them then, calm but serious, notebook already in hand. He took in their expressions immediately, the panic, the devastation, the anger simmering beneath it all. “Mr. and Mrs. Iosivas,” he said, his tone measured. “I’m Detective Harris. I know this is overwhelming, but I need to ask you some questions as quickly as possible.”

Milan wiped at her face, though it did nothing to stop the tears. She nodded weakly, clinging to Andrei’s arm like it was the only thing keeping her upright.

“Tell me about Lola,” the detective continued. “Full name, relationship to your family, last time you had contact with her.”

Andrei answered first, his voice tight and controlled but shaking underneath. “Lola Harloquin —she was… she used to be with us. We were in a relationship. But that ended months ago. We removed her from all emergency contacts, all pickup lists. She is not supposed to have any access to our daughter.”

The detective nodded, writing quickly. “When was the last time she attempted contact before today?”

“March,” Milan said through tears, her voice breaking. “She showed up at our house after our wedding. We told her to leave. We told her not to come back.”

“Did she ever threaten to take your child before?” the detective asked.

Milan shook her head quickly. “No, never like this. She said things and like tried to grab her from my sister… but nothing like this. She wouldn’t—” Her voice cracked completely. “She wouldn’t do this…”

Andrei tightened his grip on her. “She’s not stable,” he added, anger bleeding into his tone now. “She’s been in and out of our lives. We cut her off completely. There’s no reason she should’ve been able to pick Sorina up.”

The detective glanced toward Diane and the staff being questioned across the room before looking back at them. “We’re going to need any photos you have of her, recent or old, and any information about where she might go. Friends, family, anywhere she has connections.”

Andrei nodded quickly. “I’ll send everything. Right now.”

“Good,” the detective said. “We’re also going to pull camera footage from inside and outside the building, and surrounding traffic cameras. We’ll issue an alert immediately.”

Before he could say anything else, an officer rushed in from the side entrance, holding up a phone.

“We found this ringing by the dumpster out back,” he said. “She ditched her phone.”

The words hit like a bomb.

Milan’s knees nearly buckled again, a sound ripping out of her that didn’t even sound human. “No—no, no, no—” she cried, her hands flying to her head as reality slammed into her harder than before. “Y’all gotta find my fucking baby!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the building, raw and desperate.

Andrei snapped.

Everything he had been holding in exploded at once. He turned sharply toward Diane, anger overtaking everything else. “Nah, because she is an accomplice!” he shouted, his voice booming. “We took her off the paperwork and you still let her go!”

Diane burst into tears, shaking her head frantically. “I’m so sorry! Nobody let me know that that was done, I swear—”

“So everybody in this fucking building is incompetent then?!” Andrei roared, stepping forward before officers subtly moved closer. “You still should call, verify, CHECK! That’s basic! That’s a child!”

His voice carried outside now, loud enough that people on the street had started gathering. Curious onlookers. Concerned parents. Phones already out. Someone had called the media. The flashing lights were drawing attention fast.

“Sir, I’m going to need you to calm down,” one of the officers said, stepping between him and Diane.

But Andrei wasn’t hearing it. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, eyes wild with fear and rage. “That’s my daughter!” he shouted. “That’s my fucking baby! Ain’t no fucking calming down til she is BACK HERE! Y’all got me fucked up!”

Milan sobbed beside him, clutching onto him as if letting go would make everything worse. The detective spoke quickly into his radio, relaying updates, calling for alerts, for units, for anything that could move faster than the panic spreading through that room.

Outside, the crowd grew.

Inside, everything felt like it was collapsing.

And somewhere out there—

Sorina was gone.

Within the hour, everything escalated beyond anything Milan or Andrei could have imagined. What had started as a nightmare inside a daycare quickly became a citywide emergency, and then something even bigger. Law enforcement moved fast. Faster than Milan expected, but never fast enough to ease the panic clawing at her chest.

The AMBER Alert went out across Ohio first, then neighboring states within minutes. Phones everywhere lit up with that unmistakable, jarring alarm. Highways flashed the alert across electronic signs. News stations cut into regular programming. Social media exploded almost instantly.

Sorina’s picture was front and center.

A bright, smiling one-year-old with big brown eyes and thick curls, her cheeks full, her expression innocent and trusting. Beneath it, the details: Missing. Last seen at Little Learners Daycare. Taken by Lola Harloquin.

Next to Sorina’s photo was Lola.

Not the Lola people remembered.

A still shot pulled directly from the daycare security footage showed her with short black hair, a cap pulled low, her expression calm but unrecognizable compared to who she used to be. It was eerie. Intentional. Planned.

And then the footage itself began circulating.

Clips of Lola walking through the daycare. Signing her out on the tablet. Lifting Sorina into her arms as the toddler smiled and reached for her, completely unaware of what was happening. That image alone spread like wildfire.

Within minutes, local news stations picked it up.

Then national outlets.

Then sports media.

Because this wasn’t just any missing child case anymore.

This was the daughter of an NFL player.

And the story took on a life of its own.

Reporters began gathering outside the daycare, cameras pointed at the entrance, microphones in hand, voices urgent as they relayed updates live. “Breaking news out of Cincinnati tonight,” one anchor said, her tone serious. “The one-year-old daughter of Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas has been abducted from a local daycare earlier this afternoon. Authorities have issued an AMBER Alert and are actively searching for the suspect, identified as a former partner of the family.”

Footage rolled behind her.

Sorina’s face, Lola’s altered appearance, the daycare.

Police presence and flashing lights.

Social media was worse.

Far worse.

Within minutes, Sorina’s picture was everywhere.

Twitter, Instagram, TikTok—posts shared hundreds of thousands of times in rapid succession. Fans of the Bengals flooded timelines with reposts, prayers, and anger. Teammates and other players across the league began sharing the alert, urging people to be on the lookout. Joe and The Bengals post alone gathered at least 15 Million likes and shares. Hashtags started trending almost instantly. People dissected every detail of the footage, pointing out Lola’s disguise, her movements, the timing.

Some posts were supportive.

Some were speculative.

Some crossed lines.

But all of it amplified one thing—

visibility.

Back at the daycare, Milan could barely process any of it.

Her phone buzzed nonstop in her hand—notifications, calls, messages—but she wasn’t reading them. Couldn’t. Her world had narrowed down to one singular, unbearable truth.

Her baby was gone.

And now the entire world knew it.

Andrei stood nearby, still pacing, still making calls, his voice rough and urgent as he spoke to coaches, teammates, anyone who might have connections or resources that could help. Every now and then he’d glance at Milan, making sure she was still standing, still breathing, still there.

The detective approached again, phone in hand. “The alert is out,” he said. “Statewide, and expanding. We’ve got units checking traffic cameras, airports, bus stations. We’re treating this as a high-risk abduction.”

Milan nodded faintly, though it felt like she was underwater.

“People are sharing it,” the detective continued. “That helps. Someone will see something.”

Milan swallowed hard, her voice barely steady. “What if she left with my baby? She could leave the country.”

The detective’s expression tightened. “We’ve already contacted TSA and border control. Her name, her image, everything is flagged. If she tries to move through any official channel, we’ll know.”

Milan just looks at him.

But that didn’t stop the fear.

Because Lola had already proven—

she wasn’t playing by the rules.

And she already had a 3 hour head start.

Outside, reporters were now saying their names out loud.

Repeating them.

Over and over.

And inside, Milan finally broke again, clutching onto Andrei as her body shook, her voice cracking under the weight of it all.

“I just want my baby,” she cried.

Andrei pulled her close, his own eyes burning, jaw tight as he stared ahead like he was trying to hold himself together through sheer force.

“We’re gonna find her,” he said, even though the fear sat heavy in his chest too. “We’re gonna get her back.”

But for the first time—

neither of them knew how long that would take.

Or what Lola was truly capable of now.

By the time they made it back home, the house no longer felt like a place of comfort. It had turned into something else entirely—a command center, a waiting room, a space filled with too many people and not enough answers. Detectives moved in and out, phones rang constantly, laptops were open across the kitchen island pulling up footage, timelines, maps. Officers stood near the doors, speaking in low voices over radios. It felt controlled, but tense. Like everything was balancing on the edge of something breaking.

Milan sat on the couch, Sorina’s favorite blanket clutched tightly in her hands, her body still trembling from everything that had happened. The house felt wrong without her. Too quiet. Too still. Every toy left where Sorina had last touched it felt like a reminder that she should be here, that this wasn’t how the day was supposed to go.

Andrei didn’t sit.

He couldn’t.

He paced from one end of the room to the other, phone in hand, jaw tight, eyes locked on every officer, every movement, like if he looked away for even a second, he’d miss something that could bring his daughter back. Every so often, he’d glance at Milan, checking her, grounding himself in her presence before turning back into motion again.

Time dragged.

Minutes felt like hours.

Then—

a voice cut through the room.

“Detective—got something.”

Everything stopped.

The room shifted instantly as attention snapped toward the officer holding a phone, already pulling up details.

The detective stepped forward. “What do we have?”

“It’s TSA,” the officer said quickly. “She showed up at CVG with the child at 1:30.”

For a second, it didn’t register.

Milan blinked.

“…What?”

The officer continued, “She boarded a flight. Paid cash. They didn’t flag it in time because the alert hadn’t gone out yet when she checked in.”

The words hit like a physical blow.

“She… boarded?” Milan repeated, her voice hollow, like her brain was trying to catch up but couldn’t.

Andrei stepped forward sharply. “Where?” he demanded. “Where did she go?”

The officer scrolled, then looked up. “Cancún.”

Silence.

Milan’s stomach dropped so violently it made her dizzy.

The room tilted.

“She’s… she’s not even in the country?” she whispered, her voice breaking apart mid-sentence.

And that was it.

Her body gave out.

She stumbled to her feet too fast, a wave of nausea hitting her instantly as panic and fear twisted inside her chest.

“I—” she choked, covering her mouth.

And then she ran.

Down the hall.

Barely making it to the bathroom before she dropped to her knees and threw up, her body convulsing with it, everything hitting her all at once—the fear, the distance, the realization that her baby was no longer just missing.

She was gone.

Out of reach.

In another country.

Andrei was right behind her.

He dropped to his knees beside her, one hand pulling her hair back, the other rubbing her back as she shook, her entire body trembling violently.

“Hey, hey… I got you,” he said, his voice softer now but still strained, still breaking under the pressure. “Breathe, baby… breathe…”

Milan couldn’t.

Every breath felt like it was being ripped out of her chest.

“She took her out of the country,” she cried, her voice hoarse, broken beyond recognition. “Drei—she took our baby out of the country—”

“I know,” he said, his own voice cracking now despite how hard he was trying to stay strong. “I know.”

They sit and hold each other sobbing.

Back in the living room, the detectives were already moving faster, voices sharper now, calling in federal agencies, escalating everything.

“Notify FBI. This is now international.”

“Contact border authorities in Mexico.”

“Get Interpol involved.”

The case had just gotten bigger.

Much bigger.

In the bathroom, Milan finally slumped back against the wall, tears streaming endlessly down her face as she clutched onto Andrei like he was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart.

“She’s scared,” Milan whispered, her voice barely audible. “She’s gonna be scared and we’re not there…”

Andrei swallowed hard, pressing his forehead against hers, his eyes closing briefly as he fought to hold himself together.

“We’re gonna get her back,” he said again, even though the distance now felt impossible. “I swear to you—we’re getting her back.”

But for the first time—

even he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

By the time the AMBER Alert reached Cancún, it was already too late.

Lola had planned just enough to stay ahead of the first wave.

She moved fast once the plane landed, keeping her head down, cap low, avoiding eye contact, moving with purpose instead of panic. She didn’t linger at the airport. Didn’t wait around. Within the hour, she was already in a car heading away from the tourist-heavy areas, further out, toward the quieter outskirts where no one was looking for anything out of the ordinary.

By sunset, she was inside a small, worn-down house tucked between narrow roads and overgrown patches of land. It wasn’t much. One bedroom. Bare furniture. A place meant to stay unnoticed.

Hidden.

For now.

Inside, the air felt thick.

Heavy.

Too quiet.

Sorina sat on the floor with her diaper bag dumped out beside her, surrounded by the few toys Lola had grabbed in a rush. She didn’t understand what was happening. To her, this was just another place. Another room. Another day.

But something was off.

Even she could feel it.

“Lala, Mama?” she asked again, her small voice soft but persistent.

It was the same word she’d been repeating for what felt like hours.

“Mama?”

Lola paced the room, running her hands through her now short, dark hair, her breathing uneven, her thoughts spiraling faster than she could control.

“Not now, sweetie,” she muttered, distracted, not even looking at her.

Sorina frowned slightly, confused.

“Mama?”

Lola stopped pacing for a second, pressing her hands against her temples like she could physically hold her thoughts in place.

What the fuck has she done?

The question hit her again.

Harder this time.

Kidnapping.

That word alone made her stomach twist.

Her chest tightened, panic creeping in around the edges of everything she had convinced herself of.

This wasn’t just taking her somewhere.

This wasn’t just “getting her back.”

This was a crime.

A big one.

One that didn’t go away.

One that followed you.

She glanced over at Sorina.

At the way the little girl was sitting there, completely unaware, playing with a toy like this was normal.

Like Lola wasn’t unraveling right in front of her.

Guilt stabbed through her chest.

But right behind it—

came something else.

Something louder.

More stubborn.

This is my baby.

The thought pushed forward, forceful, defensive.

This was supposed to be my life.

My family.

My future.

She let out a shaky breath, trying to steady herself.

“This was mine first,” she whispered under her breath, like saying it out loud would make it true. “This was supposed to be me… me and Andrei… us first…”

Her voice cracked slightly, but she kept going, clinging to the narrative she had built in her head.

“I was supposed to have this first,” she muttered. “The marriage. The baby. The life…”

But even as she said it—

it didn’t feel solid.

It felt… forced.

Like something she was trying to convince herself of rather than something she actually believed.

“Mama?” Sorina said again, louder this time.

Lola flinched.

Because that word—

that word didn’t belong to her.

Not really.

She looked at Sorina again.

Really looked this time.

At the way her brows were slightly furrowed.

At the way she kept glancing around like she was waiting for something.

For someone.

For Milan.

For Andrei.

Lola’s chest tightened painfully.

“She’s fine,” she said out loud, though her voice wasn’t steady. “She’s with me. She’s safe.”

But even that—

felt hollow.

Because Sorina wasn’t smiling the way she usually did.

Wasn’t babbling happily.

Wasn’t running toward her with excitement like before.

She was… waiting.

“Mama?” Sorina said again, softer now.

And this time—

Lola didn’t answer.

Because for the first time since she got off that plane—

the reality was starting to settle in.

This wasn’t her life.

Not like this.

And no matter how many times she tried to rewrite it in her head—

she couldn’t change what she had just done.

Back at the house, the tension had only grown heavier. What had started as a frantic search had now turned into something far more calculated, far more dangerous. The living room was filled with quiet urgency—agents moving in and out, voices low but sharp, laptops open with maps and timelines pulled up, phones pressed to ears relaying information in rapid bursts. It no longer felt like a home. It felt like the center of something escalating fast.

Milan sat curled into the corner of the couch, a blanket still clutched in her hands like it was the only thing tethering her to reality. Her eyes were swollen, her body drained, but her mind refused to rest. Every second that passed felt like another second her daughter was further away.

Andrei stood near the center of the room, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his entire body rigid with tension. He hadn’t stopped moving or thinking since they got back. Every update mattered. Every detail could be the one that led them to Sorina.

The front door opened, and the team that had been sent to Lola’s apartment stepped inside. Their expressions alone told Andrei this wasn’t going to be simple.

He stepped forward immediately. “What did you find?”

The lead agent exhaled once before answering. “She packed light. Clothes are gone. Essentials. She didn’t take anything unnecessary. This was planned.” He paused briefly, then continued. “We found evidence she altered her appearance. Hair dye box, cut hair, towels—everything matches the footage we saw at the daycare.”

Andrei nodded once, jaw tightening, already piecing it together in his head.

But the agent wasn’t done.

“We also checked her laptop.”

That made Andrei’s attention sharpen even more. “And?”

The agent glanced briefly at the others in the room before looking back at him. “We found out how she was able to get Sorina on a plane… even though you still have the child’s official passport.”

A beat of silence followed.

“How?” Andrei asked, his voice low but edged with something dangerous.

The agent’s expression hardened slightly. “Dark web access. She found someone who was able to generate a valid passport entry for the child. They tapped into the system, duplicated identification numbers, and created a record that would pass basic screening. It wouldn’t hold up under deep inspection, but it was enough to get through standard airport processing—especially before the alert went out.”

The words landed heavy.

Real.

Calculated.

Deliberate.

Milan’s head snapped up, her face twisting in disbelief as the meaning fully hit her. “What the fuck?!” she cried, her voice breaking as she stood up too fast, her body shaking again. “Oh my God—this is not normal! This is not something you just do! She went to the fucking dark web?!”

Her hands flew to her head as she paced, panic and anger mixing together into something uncontrollable. “It’s never this serious! To go to that extreme?! To plan something like that?!” Her voice cracked again, louder now, echoing through the room. “That’s insane!”

Andrei stood frozen for a moment, the information settling in deeper than anything else they’d heard so far. This wasn’t impulsive. This wasn’t emotional. This was premeditated.

She had planned this.

Thought it through.

Taken steps.

That realization hit harder than anything else.

“She knew what she was doing,” he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else, his voice tightening as anger built beneath the surface. “She knew exactly what she was doing.”

Milan turned toward him, tears streaming down her face again. “Drei… she planned this. She planned taking our baby.”

The room felt colder.

He didn’t respond right away.

Because now—

this wasn’t just about finding Sorina.

This was about understanding just how far Lola had gone—

and what she might do next.

The information didn’t stop coming.

It just kept getting worse.

Every few minutes, another piece of the puzzle slid into place, and instead of making things clearer, it made everything heavier. More deliberate. More terrifying.

An agent stood near the center of the room, flipping through notes as he updated the detective. “We pulled her financials,” he said. “She cleared out her accounts about a week ago. Everything. Savings, checking—gone. Withdrawn in cash.”

Andrei dragged a hand over his face, pacing again, his movements sharper now. “So she’s been planning this for at least a week,” he muttered, more statement than question.

Another agent chimed in from the kitchen area, holding up a tablet. “The vehicle she left at the airport wasn’t registered to her. It was a rental. She paid cash to extend it, then abandoned it at CVG. We also confirmed she sold her personal car two weeks ago.”

“That’s mobility and no paper trail,” the detective added grimly. “She didn’t want to be tracked.”

Milan stood near the couch, arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold her body together as everything unraveled around her. Each detail felt like another confirmation that this wasn’t impulsive. This wasn’t emotional.

This was thought out.

Cold.

Calculated.

Another officer stepped forward with an evidence bag. “We also found this at her apartment,” he said, setting it carefully on the table. Inside was a crumpled Walmart bag stuffed with tags—baby clothing tags, dozens of them, all recently removed.

“She stocked up before she left,” he explained. “New clothes. Probably to avoid recognition.”

Milan’s stomach twisted.

Of course she did.

Another box was placed beside it.

“This too,” the officer added. “We found it in the kitchen. Looks like she was packing supplies.”

Andrei stepped closer, his eyes scanning automatically, trying to process everything, trying to stay ahead of it.

The box was small.

Bright.

Familiar.

Assorted fruit baby snacks. Apple, pear, oranges, and grape-flavored.

Milan stopped breathing.

It hit her all at once.

Not gradual, not slow, but immediate.

Violent.

Her eyes locked onto the box like it was something alive.

“No…” she whispered.

Andrei noticed instantly. The shift in her body. The way her face drained again.

“Bro… no,” he said under his breath, already knowing what was wrong.

The detective stepped toward her quickly. “What? What’s wrong?”

Milan’s hands started shaking again, worse than before.

Her voice came out thin, barely holding together. “S-Sorina is allergic to grape.”

The room went still.

Andrei blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Like his brain was trying to reject it.

“No bro.” he says, his voice low, strained.

Milan shook her head rapidly, panic flooding her completely now. “She’s allergic! We found out after—after Lola left. She had that reaction, the swelling—her throat—”

Her breathing picked up again, fast, uneven, spiraling.

“She doesn’t know,” Milan said, her voice rising, breaking. “Lola doesn’t know. She wasn’t there when it happened.”

And that—

that changed everything.

Andrei felt something drop in his chest.

Hard.

Because now this wasn’t just about location.

This wasn’t just about getting to her.

This was about time.

He turned sharply toward the detective. “She’s allergic,” he said, his voice urgent now, controlled panic underneath. “Severe reaction. If she eats that—if she gives her that—”

The detective nodded immediately, already signaling to another officer. “Get that out to all units. Add it to the alert. Medical risk—grape allergy.”

Radios crackled instantly as the information started moving.

Milan broke completely.

Her hands flew to her mouth as a sob ripped out of her, her entire body shaking as the worst-case scenarios flooded her mind.

“She’s gonna feed it to her,” she cried. “She’s gonna think it’s fine—she’s gonna give it to her and I’m not there—”

Andrei was in front of her immediately, grabbing her shoulders, grounding her as best as he could despite the fear rising in him too.

“Hey—hey—listen to me,” he said firmly, even as his own voice strained. “We’re gonna get to her before anything happens. You hear me? We’re gonna get to her.”

But Milan shook her head, tears streaming uncontrollably. “She doesn’t know, Drei… she doesn’t know…”

And that truth—

sat heavier than anything else in the room.

Because now—

every second mattered more than ever.

The week that followed felt like two completely different realities unfolding at the same time, miles apart, yet tied together by the same child.

For Milan and Andrei, time stopped moving in any normal way. Days blurred into nights without meaning. Sleep came in short, broken stretches—if it came at all. Their home stayed full of people, law enforcement rotating in shifts, phones ringing constantly, updates coming in fragments that never felt like enough. Milan barely left the living room, curled up in the same spot with Sorina’s blanket, her body running on nothing but adrenaline and fear. Every time her phone buzzed, her heart jumped into her throat, hoping it was the call. The one that said they found her. And every time it wasn’t, it felt like starting the panic all over again.

Andrei tried to be everywhere at once. Talking to detectives, reviewing footage, calling contacts, coordinating anything that could possibly help. But underneath all of it, he was unraveling too. His voice grew sharper, his patience thinner, his movements more restless. Every update that didn’t lead directly to Sorina made his frustration boil over. And at night, when everything quieted just enough, he’d sit beside Milan, pulling her into him as they both broke down in silence, holding onto each other because there was nothing else to hold onto.

Meanwhile, in that small house on the outskirts of Cancún, Lola’s version of reality was collapsing just as fast—but in a completely different way.

The first day, she had tried to convince herself she was in control. That she had done what she needed to do. That this was her chance to finally have the life she thought had been taken from her. But Sorina didn’t settle into that version of the story. She cried. Constantly. Not just fussing, not just whining—full, aching cries that came from confusion and fear.

“Mama… mama…” Sorina would call out, over and over, her little voice cracking as she looked around a place that didn’t feel familiar.

Sometimes she would say “Dada” too, softer, like she was trying to remember where he was.

Lola would try to soothe her, picking her up, rocking her, offering toys, snacks, distractions—but it didn’t land the same way it used to. Sorina wasn’t reaching for her with the same excitement. She wasn’t settling against her chest the same way. She was searching. Waiting.

Each night got worse. Sorina woke up crying, disoriented, calling for Milan in her half-formed words, reaching into the dark for someone who wasn’t there. Lola would sit on the edge of the bed, holding her, whispering reassurances that even she didn’t fully believe.

“It’s okay… I got you… you’re okay…” she would murmur, her voice shaking.

But Sorina didn’t understand.

And neither did Lola, not really.

By the fourth day, exhaustion had set in. Real exhaustion. The kind that stripped away whatever illusion she had built in her head. This wasn’t the life she thought she wanted. This wasn’t peaceful. This wasn’t fulfilling. It was overwhelming, isolating, suffocating.

By the sixth day, Sorina had stopped crying as loudly.

That scared Lola more than anything.

Because now the toddler just looked at her sometimes with quiet confusion, like she was trying to make sense of why the world felt wrong.

And Lola couldn’t fix that.

On the seventh day, everything finally broke.

Lola sat on the floor with Sorina, trying to keep things calm, trying to hold onto some sense of normalcy. She reached into the diaper bag, pulling out snacks, her movements automatic, distracted, her mind still racing with everything she had done and everything she couldn’t undo.

“Here, baby,” she said softly, handing Sorina a small pack.

The grape ones.

Sorina took them without hesitation.

And within moments— everything changed.

At first, it was subtle. A cough, a small sound. Then Sorina’s face shifted, her breathing hitched. Then it got worse.

Fast.

Her chest tightened, her little body stiffening as she struggled to pull in air that wouldn’t come.

Lola froze for a split second, confusion flashing across her face before panic slammed into her.

“Awe shit—are you allergic?” she said, her voice rising instantly.

Sorina gasped, her tiny hands clawing at her chest, eyes wide, terrified.

“I didn’t know—I didn’t know!” Lola panicked, scrambling for the phone, her hands shaking so badly she almost dropped it.

She dialed 911, her voice frantic, barely coherent as she tried to explain what was happening, her eyes never leaving Sorina as the situation spiraled.

“Help she can’t breathe—she can’t breathe—please hurry—PLEASE—”

The seconds that followed felt endless.

What have I done?

Sorina’s breathing grew weaker, more strained, each second stretching longer than the last as Lola tried to keep her upright, trying to remember anything that could help, anything at all.

Then finally— sirens.

Paramedics rushed in, moving with practiced urgency. They didn’t waste time with questions at first. One look at Sorina and they knew.

“Anaphylaxis,” one of them said quickly.

They moved immediately, administering epinephrine, oxygen, working with precision as Lola stood frozen nearby, her entire body shaking, her mind catching up too late to what had just happened.

Within moments, Sorina’s breathing began to ease.

Not fully.

But enough.

Enough that the immediate danger passed.

Lola watched it all happen.

Watched them save her.

Watched her chest rise again.

Watched the color slowly return.

And that was when reality hit her harder than anything else.

If she went with them—

it was over.

There was no more hiding.

No more running.

No more pretending.

She would be caught.

As the paramedics stabilized Sorina and began preparing to transport her, one of them turned toward Lola, starting to ask questions.

“Ma’am, we’re going to need—”

But Lola wasn’t there anymore.

She had slipped out.

Quiet.

Fast.

Gone before anyone could stop her.

“We gotta move.” One EMT says shrugging.

The ambulance doors closed.

Sirens blared again as they sped toward the nearest hospital.

Inside, Sorina lay small and fragile against the stretcher, oxygen mask over her face, her body finally beginning to relax after the storm.

At the hospital, everything moved quickly.

Doctors and nurses took over immediately, assessing, stabilizing, monitoring.

And then— one nurse paused.

Really looked at her.

Recognition hit instantly.

“Oh my God…” she whispered, her hand flying to her mouth. “That’s her.”

The room shifted immediately.

Because the missing child they were briefed about last week— had just been found.

Back in Cincinnati, the house had fallen into a heavy, restless quiet. It wasn’t peaceful—it was the kind of silence that came from exhaustion and fear finally colliding. Milan sat curled into Andrei’s side on the couch, her head resting against his chest, her body still trembling in small, uneven waves. Neither of them had the energy to speak anymore. They had said everything they could say over the past week. Now all that was left was waiting.

Andrei’s phone sat in his hand, his grip tight around it like he could force it to ring.

Then—

it did.

The sound cut through the room so sharply it made Milan jolt.

Andrei looked down instantly.

Detective Harris.

His chest tightened as he answered immediately, putting it on speaker without even thinking. “Talk to me.”

There was a pause on the other end—just long enough to make Milan’s heart drop into her stomach.

“Mr. Iosivas,” the detective said, his voice steady but carrying something underneath it. “We have your daughter.”

Everything stopped.

Milan froze completely, her breath catching so hard it hurt.

“…What?” Andrei said, his voice barely there.

“She was brought into a hospital in Cancún about twenty minutes ago,” the detective continued. “Paramedics responded to a medical emergency. The child experienced an allergic reaction. Staff at the hospital recognized her from the alert.”

Milan let out a broken sob, her hands flying to her mouth as her body folded forward.

“Oh my God—oh my God—”

Andrei grabbed her instantly, pulling her into him, his own composure cracking as relief hit him like a wave he couldn’t hold back. “Is she okay?” he asked quickly, his voice shaking now. “Is she okay?”

“She’s alive,” the detective said, choosing his words carefully. “They administered epinephrine in time. She’s stable and under medical care right now.”

Milan collapsed fully into Andrei at that, sobbing uncontrollably, her entire body giving out from the release of fear she had been holding in for days. “Thank you—thank you—thank you—” she cried, over and over, her voice barely coherent.

Andrei closed his eyes briefly, pressing his forehead against hers as he tried to steady himself, his own tears finally spilling over. “Thank you,” he echoed, his voice rough.

There was a brief pause before the detective continued.

“Lola is not in custody.”

The words landed differently this time.

Heavier.

More complicated.

“She fled the scene before EMTs could question her,” the detective explained. “Local law enforcement is actively searching for her. We’ve escalated to international coordination.”

Andrei’s jaw tightened again, the anger returning underneath the relief. “Of course she did,” he muttered.

Milan shook her head weakly, still crying. “I don’t care—I don’t care right now—my baby—”

“You’ll need to prepare to travel,” the detective said. “We’re arranging immediate coordination with federal authorities and the U.S. embassy. You’ll be on the next available flight.”

Andrei nodded even though the detective couldn’t see him. “We’ll be ready.”

“Good. I’ll send you everything you need within the next few minutes.”

The line went quiet.

And then the call ended.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

They just held each other.

Breathing.

Crying.

Letting it sink in.

“She’s okay,” Milan whispered, her voice shaking as she clung to him tighter. “Drei, she’s alive…”

Andrei pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead, his own voice breaking despite everything. “Yeah,” he said softly. “We got her back.”

Not fully yet. Not physically. But she was found.

Safe.

Alive.

And for the first time in a week—

they could finally breathe.

Sitting at a bar with my friends and a couple of our guy friends was something that usually happens every weekend

Except it hasn’t happened in a while. I didn’t have the energy these days to go out but tonight it was different

I want to go back to my old self again.

Every weekend for the last few months I’ve been with Colston. I met him in college when we both attended Michigan and a teammate of his, Tommy Doman, also a close friend of mine that I grew up with, told me about him. I had nobody else at Michigan so I hung out with Tommy a lot

He introduced me to Colston because they were roommates and one day I came over having a shitty day and every single thing was going wrong so I spent the night at their place

next morning Tommy was gone but Colston was still there. He made me breakfast after hearing about the day I had. He let me talk it out to him and he listened, laughed, and gave good advice which I wasn’t expecting coming from a star college football player that all the girls bend their knees for

Ever since then I came over often. me and colston started to get to know each other more and more everytime.

That brings us to now, 3 years later and I’ve been messing around with him. Who would’ve thought.

No titles, nothing we’re just friends with benefits.

We stopped messing around for about 5 months because I kept hearing around campus about him and some girl. I didn’t want to be a side piece. It was never relationship with me and Colston. No feelings so nobody gets hurt.

But lately he’s been up my ass for no reason and I can’t seem to figure out why.

He asked me last week if he could come spend the night with me but I declined because I was busy with school. I had to catch up on my work and I needed a severe clean of my apartment.

He didn’t like that response and replied with

are you fucking with someone else?

I took offense to that because deep down I want to be with Colston. He knows it too. I refuse to even try mentioning it to him again. So I just keep up with the nonchalant act like I don’t care about it

I didn’t respond back to him. I went about my day and we didn’t speak to each other for two days.

That, he didn’t like either

This weekend I was going out. I wanted nothing more but to have a drink in my hand, be around my friends and loud ass music. After the week I’ve had with work this weekend is well deserved. I’ve been distant with Colston lately. He will check on me a few times but besides that im not responding much

. I don’t want to keep doing this with him anymore. I want him for real not as a fuck buddy. If he doesn’t want that and only like what we have going on now then im out.

Trust me, there’s plenty if guys that wanna be with me.

—

I was late per usual but I wanted to make sure I looked my best and felt even better. You know….just incase I find someone.

After getting out of my Uber and thanking the driver, I walked inside and was guided over to my group.

To my surprise a not so distant friend of mine was here. Andrei Iosivas

We haven’t talked in over a year but Everytime I use to visit Cincinnati we always hang out. Unfortunately I haven’t been in so long. Andrei is the type of person my friends want me to be with. When I use to visit he would take care of me and made sure I had everything I needed. The hotel was paid for food, clothes, everything. He would make sure I wouldn’t spend anything. there would always be flowers in the hotel room when I got there with a note saying “enjoy your stay and call me if you need me”. What more could a woman want.

I just had to be difficult and want Colston

“ Hey, it’s nice to see you. you look beautiful y/n” he says to me pulling me in for a long hug.

A bunch of athletes are here tonight. There’s some major event going on in Chicago that brought them here. Win win for the girls

“Aww thank you andrei. You look great, I’ve missed you so much” I reply back

He grabs my hand kissing the top of it

Like he always does when he sees me

“It’s been a while. You haven’t came to Cincinnati in what seems like decades” he says dropping my hand but still clinging on loosely

“I’ve been busy, im sorry. I plan to come back in the next few months I just need to figure my life out. I have been all over the place” I laughed

He smiled down at me

“Let me know when you come. We have a lot to catch up on. Some new places opened up I wanna take you to”

he’s so charming

“Are you paying” I furrowed my eyebrows in a playful way

“You know im paying. I don’t ever let you swipe that card”

‘oh my gosh y/n just runaway with him’ i thought to myself

“Then I’ll be there next week” I said smiling

“I want you to meet some people, come on”. He wraps his arm on my lower waist guiding me with him

I could get down with this. Andrei is exactly someone I could be with. The only issue is he’s in Cincinnati. It’s 4 hours away which isn’t bad and I know he would come see me but when the season starts it would be so hard and draining for weeks on end that I can’t see him

then there’s the other issue

“Aye guys, I want you to meet someone.” They all turn towards us

“This is y/n”

I waved greeting them

“You must be the special y/n that he’s talked about before” Tee says.

“You hold all your female friends by the waist like that Andrei” Jamar asked

I looked up and him and smiled. He hasn’t let go of me yet.

He curled his fingers a little deeper into my waist.

He laughed, “She’s special”

A girl was standing with them. She doesn’t look very friendly. Not to me at least.

“Do I know you from somewhere” she asked

I look around for a second confused because I’ve never met this girl in my life

“ I don’t think so. I have no idea who you are”

“Wait a second…you’re the girl who’s always around that tight end Colston Loveland. “ she asked

“Colston Loveland…oh the rookie that plays for the bears” Tee asked taking a sip of his drink

That made Andrei let go. He slipped his hand off my waist in a soft but fast motion.

Shit.

“Yea but we’re just friends. We’ve known each other for a long time that’s all” I said fast.

I didn’t want Andrei to think I was some pass around whore because im not.

I’m a lover girl

But Colston is something

I have love for Colston but he would never want a relationship. His excuse is always “I tried a relationship with that girl and it didn’t work out at all” or “it’s too much when I have football, im basically the star of the team”

that girl isn’t me though.

“Oh so you just hang around athletes” she twirled her hair.

Is she deadass right now

“No I actually have a life. I’m not a football groupie as I see that’s what you are. I actually have real friendships with them. I don’t fuck them for a list or to show off honey. But thank you so much for asking and trying to embarrass me when your just embarrassing yourself”

She rolls her eyes in shock and turns walking away.

“I’m gonna go grab a drink” I turn around on my heal and leave them behind

The bartender wiping down the bar looks up at me with a question look asking me what I would like

“2 green tea shots please”

Should’ve made it three

“Make that three”

Andrei stands beside me still hovering over me as im sitting

“im sorry about that girl. What you have going on with him has nothing to do with anyone.”

He slides me two of the shots and one for himself, throwing his back as I do the same

“It’s fine I don’t mind correcting people”

I held up a finger at the bartender letting him know two more

“ is there something going on between you and him. I don’t want to intervene ya know. I like you y/n but I would keep our friendship over anything. You’re an amazing person to know and to have around and I wouldn’t want to risk that”

He stared at me for a second

softly

Damnit this was supposed to be my night to forget about everything going on

I don’t tell anyone about how I feel or what’s going on and I rather keep it that way

I bit my lip before making eye contact with him.

“ We’re close friends. Been like that for a few years. Haven’t thought about ever trying anything with him so you wouldn’t be intervening in nothing”

Lie.

The word sits heavy in my chest, but my face doesn’t show it. It never does.

Andrei seems to buy it though.

“Okay,” he says after a second, though his tone says he’s not fully convinced. His eyes stay on me a little longer, searching, like maybe I’ll change my answer if he just waits me out.

But I won’t don’t.

I hold his gaze, steady, unbothered.

“Ah that was cute.”

The words drops behind me —low, amused, and entirely too familiar.

My stomach tightens instantly.

I don’t have to turn around to know exactly who it is.

Why didn’t I think about him possibly coming

Fuck

I can feel him before I even see him.

Colston moves up beside me like he’s always belonged there, like this space was his the second he decided to step into it.

His shoulder brushes me slightly as he passes—too deliberate to be accidental, too subtle to call out.

“Didn’t know we were rewriting history now,” he adds, voice easy, but there’s something underneath it. Something sharper. His gaze flicks to Andrei for half a second before settling back on me

“What’s going on bro” Colston nudges to him

“Sup” Andrei says back

Colstons jaw tightens as he tilts his head slightly to look at me

“Don’t start,” i say, crossing your arms, forcing my tone to stay even.

He huffs out a quiet laugh at that, like I’ve just told a joke instead of a warning.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” he replies, tilting his head more as he looks at me deeper, eyes dragging over my face like he’s checking for something.

“But you make it really hard not to y/n”

That look—i hate that look.

Like he knows something i don’t.

Or worse

like he knows something i do.

The tension shifts, thick enough now that even Andrei notices.

“Uh just let me know about…you know. We can figure something out but I’m gonna head back over to the team” he starts, glancing between the two of us but smiling at me before he got up

“Yeah, good idea man” Colston cuts in smoothly, not even sparing him a full glance.

There’s no aggression in it. No raised voice.

Which somehow makes it worse.

Andrei hesitates for a second, like he might push back—but something in Colston’s expression changes his mind. With a small, awkward nod, he steps away, disappearing without another word

And just like that

it’s only me and him

Back to this we go

I let out a slow breath, turning fully toward him now, my annoyance finally slipping through. “Colston you’re fucking insane you know that?”

“Been told,” he shrugs, completely unfazed.

“Do you just—what—listen in on my conversations now?” I ask, brows pulling together. “Or do you only show up when you hear your name?”

His lips twitch, like he’s fighting a smile he doesn’t want to give me

“Only when you’re lying about me or should I say us”

I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “I wasn’t lying.”

“Yeah?” he steps closer—not enough to touch, but enough that it messes with my focus. “So you haven’t ‘thought about ever trying anything with me’?”

The way he repeats my words—slow, deliberate—makes my chest tighten.

“I haven’t,” I say quickly.

Too quickly.

His eyes narrow just slightly, picking up on it immediately.

“Right,” he murmurs, like he doesn’t believe me for a second.

I hate how easily he reads me

“I don’t know why you even care,” i add, trying to regain control of the conversation. “It’s not like it matters Colston”

Something shifts in his expression—not a lot, just enough. His jaw tightens, his gaze dropping for a split second before coming back to you, more focused now.

“It doesn’t?” he asks, quieter.

I hesitate.

And that’s my mistake.

Because he sees it.

A quiet breath leaves him, almost a laugh, but there’s no humor in it this time. “Yeah,” he says, nodding slightly to himself. “That’s what I thought.”

My heart is beating too fast now—annoyingly so—and I hate that he’s the reason for it.

“I don’t know what you think you know—”

“I think,” he cuts in, voice lower now, stepping just a little closer, “that you’re really good at pretending this isn’t a thing.”

fuck

“I think you say shit like that,” he continues, eyes locked onto yours, “so you don’t have to admit you keep coming back just as much as I do.”

There it is.

That truth you’ve both been dancing around.

“You’re so full of yourself,” I mutter, but it doesn’t land the way I want it to.

Because he doesn’t even flinch.

“Maybe,” he shrugs. Then, after a beat—quieter, more honest than anything he’s said so far—“or maybe I just know you.”

that’s worse.

“Colston I am not doing this back and forth with you.” I say getting up and tipping the bartender walking towards the door

His heavy footsteps behind me

Even though the music is loud I know he’s still following me

Because why wouldn’t he be

I wanted to call an uber so bad but he would kill me so I walked towards the parking lot looking for his car

“On the right” he mutters unlocking the truck

He goes to try and open the door but I swat his hand away

“I can do it myself”

I hop in the truck, immediately facing the window not wanting to converse with him anymore

He gets in the drivers seat

“So we’re playing that game now. Won’t even let me be nice to you”

Silence

I didn’t say anything until we got to my apartment.

Times like this I wouldn’t let him walk me up but I don’t even want to put up a fight with him

I open the door throwing my purse on the kitchen counter and taking my heels off

“You’re unbelievable,” he mutters, dragging a hand down his face like you’ve personally exhausted him

You let out a short laugh, shaking your head and turning to face him. “No, you just don’t like when you’re not in control Loveland. Should’ve known how this was gonna go.”

His eyes snap back to yours—sharp, annoyed, interested.

“See? That right there,” he says, stepping closer, voice lower now. “You always do that. Twist everything in such a fucking dumb way.”

“Or maybe,” you shrug, tilting your head, “you just don’t like the fact that I don’t give a shit right now. You did not have to do that back there”.

For a second, it’s quiet. Not calm—never calm—but charged. Like something is about to snap if one of you blinks.

Boy do I love this

“Nobody told you to be all over Andrei. The hell were you doing that for when you have me. Then you sat there and acted like this is nothing. Like WE are nothing y/n. “

the jealousy.

“Maybe because all these years you didn’t want to be anything. You just wanted to fuck me, cuddle me then leave in the morning. Every excuse was ‘oh football this and football that’ like I give a shit about a schedule and then you claimed you couldn’t handle a relationship then got into one with someone completely different who nagged you 24/7 and I had to hear about it and put my feelings for you to the side just to be a fucking friend ”

I breathed out turning around walking to my room to change out of my clothes.

If we’re gonna do this tonight I would rather be comfortable

Toxic

this is extremely toxic. I hate that i slightly love it. What does that even make.

“Yeah? And you keep coming back every single time y/n. Every call and text you answer. If you didn’t care or if this was nothing you would stop answering me”.

That lands.

You see it in the way his jaw tightens, the way he looks at you like he’s trying to decide if he should walk away this time and let you go….let what you two have vanish

He doesn’t

Of course he doesn’t

Typical colston right

“Oh please. You don’t give a shit about me. You’re just using me anyway. As a matter of fact I tried to leave. I tried to let what we have go. Why do you think I’ve been so distant and not the one starting the texts or calling you first. It’s you Colston. You always come back.”

there’s a long and quiet pause

“Yeah,” he admits, quieter now, like it slipped out before he could stop it. “I do.”

And that’s the problem.

It’s always been the problem.

Because every time it gets like this—too close, too heated, too much—it should end.

But it never does.

It just pulls you both right back in to each other

“Why do you stay. You call me crazy. Say you shouldn’t be with me but you stay every time. I don’t know even know why I take it honestly” I say shaking my head

He leans off the counter, hands by his side staring at me

He walks closer to me putting his hands on my lower waist

“Because if I leave you, I don’t know what I would do. I know we shouldn’t be together and you know it too but we can’t stay away from each other”

and this is how the arguments usually end.

I sigh, putting my hand on his chest

“It’s the fact that you can’t get enough of me Loveland. That’s why you stay.” I look into his eyes softly. Admiring him

“If I were to see you with someone else-

He turns and looks the other way. Not finishing his sentence. Instantly getting mad

“How do you think I felt when I had to hear on campus that you were in a relationship and I had to call you to get you to tell me. I sucked everything up. Every feeling all of it just so you could be happy”

“I’m sorry y/n. i should’ve never put you through any of that. I like what we have and I felt if we were to be in a relationship and everything went wrong I could lose you forever.” He said

“Then communicate that Col. Don’t brush me off. I don’t wanna do this and you can’t have a simple conversation with me and you would rather me suffer”

I step closer to him making sure he understand every word.

He places his hand on my cheek

“I promise you I will communicate everything to you from here on out. Whatever you want you get. It’s all yours and im yours.”

he leans in closer

His soft lips move against mine passionately

He pulls me closer to him by my waist sliding his hand down lower squeezing my butt

I wrap my arms around his neck letting go into him

Lifting me up on the counter so that I am leveled with him

He pulls away

“You’re all I need y/n. You don’t need anyone else and you won’t have anyone else but me. Neither will I. Whatever we go through we go through it together and we don’t leave each other” he says placing both of his steady on my lower back

“Are you hinting at something? Because if so you can’t keep buttering me up with all this just for me to realize that im still some fuck buddy for you and that I have no title. I wanna be with you but don’t think if we continue with how it is now after you just told me that, that we’re just gonna be okay.”

He takes my hand into his

Tilting his head at me

“I want you to be mine mama, nobody else’s, just for me. No matter what at the end of the day it’s gonna be us”

“Promise me Col” I whispered leaning in to him as he was standing in between my legs

He leans in again placing a gentle kiss on lips

“I promise, I promise you the world. I promise everything you want you will have” he mumbled through the kiss “Now lay back so I can show you much I appreciate you”