Apex Five: Mech Elite novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Mine

The last night before the final, the hangar was empty by ten.

Hob had gone to bed with the blade on a pillow beside him, which I pretended not to see.

Mira slept in the bunk room with the door open.

I sat on the workbench with my boots swinging and watched Ronan fix a hinge on the black frame's hatch that did not need fixing.

He had been doing it for an hour.

"It's fine, you know," I said.

"It sticks."

"It's not sticking."

"It might stick."

"Ronan."

He put the wrench down.

He did not turn around.

"Three matches," he said. "That's what the contract says. The qualifier, the semifinal, the final."

"I know what it says."

"After tomorrow night you've done what you promised. You can walk."

"I know."

"You'll have the Cup. You'll have your name on it. You can go anywhere in the world and any team will pay you whatever you ask."

His voice was perfectly level.

"I'm only saying I know how it works," he said.

I slid off the bench.

"You think I'm leaving."

"I think you should."

"That's not what I asked."

"I think you will."

"Why?"

He turned around at last.

His grey eyes were hollow and furious, and I saw that he had been holding it back for days.

"Because everyone who has ever needed something from me has left when they got it," he said.

"And you're the first person who didn't need anything. You came into my hangar with a blade and no plan."

"So?"

"So you've asked me for nothing. When this is over, you won't have a reason to stay."

I stared at him.

"Hale, you idiot."

"Wynne."

"I'm not staying for a reason."

"Then why?"

"Because I want to."

The silence went on.

I walked up to him until I had to tip my head back.

"Say it," I said. "The thing you really want to say."

He took a breath.

"I won't let you leave."

"Say it again."

"I'm not going to let you walk out of that door. I'll chain myself to the bumper of your van."

"Keep going."

"I'll sign the paper that makes you captain. I'll do anything you want, but I will not let you leave."

← Chapter 19 · All chapters · Chapter 21 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend