Chapter 71

Maya’s POV

“I see. Even so, it must have been quite the experience for you.”

“Well, by that point I was sort of used to it—except for the guy part.” Gabriella said shyly, making a little hush gesture with her hand. “I’m not a prostitute, though. I always set my own boundaries. I knew how wild college parties could get. But when I met Alec, I put all of that behind me. I just…changed. I guess that’s what love does to you.”

“Absolutely,” Elias chimed in, draping his arm around my shoulders again. “Love works wonders. When I fell for Laura, no other girl existed for me—past, present, or future.”

He gave me that puppy‐dog grin, clearly trying to steer my thoughts away from his history with Gabriella. We both know each other too well: he knows I’m perceptive enough to read between the lines, and I know he’s sensitive en