Chapter 48 – Almost
Sam's POV
Declan didn’t drag us out of the restricted room that night. He didn’t even yell.
Which somehow made it worse.
He just smirked at us, eyes sharp as broken glass, and muttered, “Careful where you snoop, boys. Not every locked door is meant to be opened.” Then he left, his laughter echoing down the hallway like it was chasing us.
Even after he was gone, the sound stuck to me.
Now, hours later, I was back in my dorm room, staring at the ceiling, the adrenaline still buzzing under my skin. I could still see the binder in that drawer. Still see the photo. My sister’s face, frozen forever in a smile I’d never see again in real life.
I rolled onto my side, but the image burned behind my eyelids.
Across the room, Elias leaned against the wall, arms crossed, like he’d been glued there since we got back. His hoodie hung loose, his dark hair messy, his expression unreadable—but his eyes never left me.
“You going to tell me what the hell that was about?” he asked finally.
“No.”
“Sam.” His tone sharpened, each syllable cutting. “You dragged me into a restricted room in the middle of the night. Declan caught us, and now I’m supposed to just… pretend I didn’t see what I saw?”
“Yes.”
“Unbelievable.” He pushed off the wall, pacing. His sneakers scuffed against the floor with each step, the sound loud in the silence. “You’ve been hiding something since day one. Don’t even try to deny it. Tonight? You basically proved it.”
I sat up, heart pounding. “And what if I did? What if I am hiding something?”
He stopped in front of me, towering over where I sat on the bed. His jaw was tight, his eyes searching my face like he could peel away the layers if he stared hard enough. “Then you need to tell me. Before it destroys you.”
I shook my head, biting back a bitter laugh. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” he said, voice low.
I hesitated. His tone wasn’t demanding now. It was… almost pleading.
The silence between us thickened until it hurt. My hands twisted in the blanket, desperate to hold on to something steady. Finally, I whispered, “It’s not about me.”
His brows pulled together. “Then who?”
I bit my lip. “Someone I lost.”
Something shifted in his face—anger fading, replaced by something softer. His stormy gaze cracked open just enough to let something else through. “Sam…”
The way he said my name almost broke me. My chest ached like someone was pressing down on it.
He stepped closer, cautious but determined. His hand lifted, hesitated, then brushed my chin with the lightest touch. Just enough to tilt my face toward him.
My breath caught. My whole body froze.
His thumb grazed the edge of my jaw, and I swear sparks shot down my spine. My lips parted on instinct, my heart slamming against my ribs like it wanted out.
“Hey,” he whispered, his voice lower than I’d ever heard it. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
“I do,” I whispered back, hating how my voice shook.
“No.” His jaw tightened, his thumb pressing lightly against my skin. “You don’t. Not with me here.”
The air between us was electric, dangerous, impossible to ignore. I should’ve pulled away. Should’ve shoved him back before I slipped, before everything I’d worked for collapsed.
But I didn’t.
Because my body leaned into his touch before my brain could stop it.
His eyes flicked to my lips. Just for a second. But I saw it.
And suddenly, it was like the world narrowed down to just this moment—the thrum of my heartbeat, the warmth of his hand, the way his breath brushed against my face.
I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to.
He leaned in.
Closer.
Closer.
His breath mingled with mine.
The edge of his nose brushed mine.
The tiniest tilt of his head and—
Bang.
The door flew open so hard it hit the wall.
I jerked back, nearly falling off the bed, my pulse ricocheting out of control. Elias’s hand dropped away instantly, his expression flashing with something raw before snapping into something unreadable.
“Yo! You guys awake?” Mason’s voice broke the silence, cheerful and oblivious.
I scrambled upright, clutching my blanket like it could shield me. My lips tingled, my whole body trembling.
Mason wandered in, rubbing his eyes. “Declan’s calling a meeting. Like… right now.”
I forced my voice steady. “What kind of meeting?”
Mason shrugged. “No idea. But he looked pissed.”
I risked a glance at Elias. His jaw was clenched, eyes fixed on me for a second too long before he finally turned toward Mason.
“Fine,” Elias muttered. “We’ll be there.”
I shoved on my shoes with shaky hands, every breath uneven. The room felt too hot, the walls too close. I couldn’t stop replaying it—his hand on my jaw, his eyes dropping to my lips, the almost that had almost ruined me.
Mason yawned, already halfway out the door.
Elias lingered a beat longer. His eyes flicked to me again, unreadable, then he muttered, “Come on,” before stepping into the hall.
I followed, but my mind wasn’t on Declan or whatever stunt he was about to pull.
It was on the way Elias had looked at me like he saw right through me.
On the fact that if Mason hadn’t barged in, Elias Cross would have kissed me.
And the worst part?
I might’ve let him.