I clung to Brian's arm as we walked through the festival. It was loud but in a good way. Lively music played. People walked in groups through the crowd as they talked and laughed amongst each other. There were children who hurried along on their own clutching stuffed animals in their arms; the kids reminded me of Jun and me.

I remembered when we would sneak through the festival on our own. Because Jun was older, he was the prize winner. But every prize he earned was given to me with the biggest small on his face.

The first night would've been a great time to get a bear. Or two. You know, for the baby.

Still holding Brian's arm, I looked up at him as we walked. But he looked ahead. There was something on his mind.

My only response was to tickle him. "Brian."

He laughed, inched away from me for a second, then looked back at me with his golden eyes. "Yeah, Kay?"

"What's bothering you?"

Brian slowed our walking, weaving us through a small crowd. He apologized to the guy on his right when he bumped him slightly. The exchange was polite, he nodded, and sighed, all before looking back at me. When I moved to tickle him again, he quickly grabbed my hand. "Don't, please. You know I'm ticklish there."

"I know." I batted my lashes. "And that's why I'm doing it. So, tell me, what was it?"

Brian took in the biggest breath as we stopped beside the carousel. The line to it wasn't long, just a few smaller children eager to get on and a loving younger couple, probably in their teens. I glanced at them before looking back at Brian, patiently waiting for him to talk.

He took in another deep breath. "I talked to Jun last night," he said.

I blinked. "You called him?"

"No." With no hesitation, he shook his head and looked down at me. "I left you in the room and went over to his."

"Oh." I hadn't noticed he left. And considering I'd woken up laying on his chest, it didn't seem as if he moved at all. I thought we'd slept all night like that.

"Yeah." Nodding, he bit his bottom lip. "I just... you were so upset, I needed to know if there was something else bigger here that bothers you. I knew he would tell me." After, he closed his eyes and frowned. "Sorry, Kay, I just needed to know the best way to protect you and I thought if I knew it all, I could."

Is that all you did, though? That's nothing.

"Brian." I squeezed his arm until he opened his eyes. "Why couldn't you just tell me that? There isn't anything wrong with trying to talk to my brother to see what's wrong with me. I mean, you could've asked me—"

"Would you have told me?" He blinked.

And I hummed. He was right and had reason to run to Jun. I mean, I was always honest with Brian, but I wasn't open open like he was with me. Granted, in the beginning, he was as closed off as a bolted door at the back of a bank. But once he opened, he was there, he was honest, and told me everything.

I needed to be like that for him, too, right? "I mean..."

"Exactly." Playfully, he laughed before shaking his head. "But Jun, he told me about what happened when you were kids."

"What happened?" I pursed my lips.

"The break-in?" Brian frowned. "When the person broke into your house and hurt your mom."

"Oh..." Oh, that. I remembered but didn't remember, that. I was too young to understand what really happened. But knew everything changed right after. "I know it was a bad part of my family because my mom got hurt, then my dad wasn't home for a while, but... I don't know, I never thought of sharing it."

"That changed your home life, didn't it?" Brian asked. "Didn't it affect you?"

My hands slid down away from Brian's arm, so I held his hand. "I did," I said quietly.

"Then—"

"But," I lifted a finger before he could continue, "I built off of those fears. I knew I couldn't live like my parents, always afraid and stuff. So, I dug up all of my courage and ran away to the city." I smiled. "And then I met you."

Brian let out a low, sexy chuckle before looking up at the moon. For a second, I admired him. What I said really made him smile.

"Meeting you was fate, right?" I said, tugging at his arm until he looked down at me. "Don't you think, sometimes, someone really needs someone?"

He blinked, his smirk still on his face. "Are you trying to say, 'broken people fix broken people' in a nice way?"

I had to laugh but pulled back slightly, feigning shock. "I mean—"

The carousel next to us stopped, ready to let the newest line of waiting for customers on the ride. An array of squeals filled the air as children excitedly latched onto their parents, ready to hop on their horse of choice. The teen couple giggled, too, brushing their noses as they let the children get on first.

For a second, I wanted to ask if Brian wanted to get on the ride. But a raffle ticket was suddenly in our faces.

Blinking, I looked down at the pink slip with numbers before I followed the hand to the person presenting it to us. Any ounce of smiles I had on my face quickly faded as I locked eyes with the guy I hadn't anticipated seeing.

I should've. He was the sheriff's son, after all.

Mario's grinning face was directly in front of me. We locked eyes as he said, "Did you guys need a raffle ticket tonight?" He motioned back toward the stage where people were huddled around the lanterns and lights. "Harmony's got some really good prizes this year. Gotta have your tickets."

Brian held me close as I looked at Mario, then looked back at the festival's entrance. "They were giving those out when we walked in. We didn't get one then, so," I looked back at Mario and tried to hide a scowl, "why would we get one from you? You don't have to pass them out, nor do you have a reason to."

"Oh, come on," Mario laughed and grabbed another raffle ticket, pressing both of them towards us, "you know you want them."

"We don't," Brian said in a low voice.

"Besides," I moved to the opposite side of Brian so I could put space away from me and my ex, "we're not going to stay long."

I guess Brian noticed my attitude—I was sure it was obvious—because he looped his arm around me and turned us down the other end of the festival, away from the carousel ride. The music played again, with the ride starting up, once we reached the stone path lined with vendors.

Mario was still behind us. "Come on, guys. It'll be fun!" he insisted. "Just gotta grab a ticket and—"

Brian stopped abruptly and placed me behind him. He could feel his fierce presence even as I stood at his back. Looking at Mario, Brian's jaw clenched as he spoke through gritted teeth, "Didn't I tell you to stay away from my fiancé?"

Mario's hand dropped but his grin didn't. He licked his lip and dipped his head as he looked at Brian. "Maybe. But you keep saying 'fiancé.' Did you ask for that kind of permission?"

Brian flinched but still held me back. "Permission? No."

"Oh?" Mario laughed before dipping his head back with a loud 'haaaa.' Well, you know, when Kay and I first got together, I went straight to Andres, you know. And I—"

"I know what you did." Brian's tone scared me. When he moved forward, I didn't. I stayed. My hands were against my chest as I watched the love of my life approach the demon of my past.

"What I did?" Mario cocked a brow as he scratched his head. "So, if you know, then you know why Andres loves me so fucking much. It's a given."

What? A given? This was news to me. Even I wasn't sure why my father loved Mario so much. Judging by the curious crowd surrounding us, the people of Harmony didn't know, either. But they were definitely interested in finding out.

Brian let out a chuckle, but it wasn't ha ha funny. It was more fuck you.

"I don't know about her father, man." Brian's fists clenched at his sides. "But I know why she hates you."

I blinked, hearing what he said. Did he know? Had Jun told him more than he admitted to asking to? I knew I'd ask later in the night, so when Brian turned around and motioned for me to take his hand, I followed and linked our fingers together.

"Let's go," he said as he turned.

Neither of us sawMario's fist coming when he moved.

***

[Thank you for reading!]