Chapter 101

Emily’s POV

I’d been staring at my phone for twenty minutes before I finally pressed send.

Me: We need to talk. Tonight.

Alex replied almost instantly: Where?

I typed the address of a little coffee shop that stayed open late, halfway between his place and mine.

It was a neutral ground and God knew we needed it.

By the time I walked in, my stomach was a knot of nerves.

He was already there, sitting at a corner table, one hand wrapped tight around a cup of black coffee like it was keeping him tethered to the earth.

His eyes flicked up when I slid into the seat across from him.

The bruise forming along his jaw caught me off guard.

“You fought with him,” I whispered.

“Yeah,” Alex said flatly. “I did.”

I swallowed hard. “Alex…”

“Don’t.” He leaned forward, his voice low and sharp.

“Start talking. What the hell happened with Ava tonight?”

I pressed my palms against the tabl