Chapter 49: Sofia

We head to the kitchen together, and I grab the ingredients while Leo pulls out the mixing bowls. I start whisking the batter, but before long, I accidentally splatter some on my shirt.

“Oops,” I laugh, looking down at the batter smeared on my sleeve.

Leo raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Well, that’s one way to wear breakfast.” He walks over, his hands resting on my waist. “Put your arms up,” he says softly.

I hesitate for a second, feeling a little shy, but then I nod. “Okay.”

I lift my arms, and Leo carefully pulls my shirt off, tossing it aside. I’m standing there in just my bra for a moment, feeling the cool air against my skin, but Leo’s gaze isn’t like the ones I’ve been afraid of before. It’s warm, gentle. He grabs his own shirt from the chair nearby, a soft, oversized one, and slips it over my head. It smells like him—like fresh air and pine, with a hint of something spicy.

“There,” he says, adjusting it on my shoulders. “Much better.”

I smile up at him, my heart racing a little at the tender way he looks at me. “Thanks.”

But then his expression shifts, something serious crossing his face, and he steps closer, his hands resting on my waist again. “Sofia… I need to get something off my chest.”

The shift in his tone makes me pause, my heart tightening a little. “What is it?”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair before looking me straight in the eye. “I’m sorry. For how I tricked you. When I pretended to be a student… I didn’t mean for it to go that far. At first, it was all part of the plan, but then… I started to really care about you. And by the time I realized what was happening, I felt like the biggest asshole for lying to you.”

I blink, the words hitting me harder than I expected. I knew about what they wanted to do—how they wanted to used me to negotiate their way out—but hearing it from Leo, especially after everything we’ve been through… it stings. But at the same time, I can see how torn up he is about it.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he continues, his voice thick with guilt. “I swear, Sof, even just sitting in class with you. I just… I knew it was wrong even then. I was crazy about you from that moment already.”

I stand there for a moment, trying to process it all. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it—how they all played a part in this crazy, messed-up situation. But hearing Leo apologize like this… it’s different. He looks so sincere, his eyes pleading with me to understand.

“Leo…” I start, taking a breath. “I know things were messed up. And yeah, it hurt when I found out you lied to me. But I’ve seen how you’ve treated me, how you care about me. That’s real, right?”

His grip tightens on my waist, his eyes softening. “It’s the most real thing I’ve ever felt.”

I swallow, my heart squeezing in my chest. “Then… then I forgive you.”

Leo lets out a breath he must’ve been holding, relief washing over his face. “Thank you,” he whispers, pulling me into his arms. He holds me tight, his chin resting on top of my head. “I don’t deserve you.”

I laugh against his chest, feeling the warmth of his embrace. “Maybe you don’t. But I’m still here.”

He laughs softly, kissing the top of my head before pulling back to look at me. “How did I get so lucky?”

I just smile, feeling lighter now that we’ve cleared the air. “Now, let’s finish those pancakes before I get batter on your shirt too.”

He chuckles and we go back to the stove, but the mood between us has shifted—there’s a new openness, a new understanding. We work together, side by side, flipping pancakes and laughing as we cook. Every now and then, our eyes meet, and there’s a softness in his gaze that makes my heart flutter.

When the pancakes are finally done, we sit together at the counter, sharing the food and exchanging more smiles and kisses.

Just as we finish eating, I hear the shuffling of feet behind me. I turn, and my mouth instantly goes dry. The other guys are wandering into the kitchen, looking groggy but somehow still effortlessly perfect. But it’s not just their sleepy expressions that catch my attention—it’s the fact that they’re all shirtless.

Nate is the first to appear, rubbing the back of his neck as he yawns. His tattoos ripple over his chest and shoulders, and I can’t help but stare at how they seem to blend with his muscles in such a mesmerizing way. Behind him, Danny stretches, his abs flexing, while Riley saunters in with that casual confidence, running a hand through his tousled hair, his broad shoulders on full display.

I’m openly gaping, my mouth hanging slightly open as my eyes flicker between them.

Leo notices, and a deep laugh rumbles from him beside me. “Sof, I don’t think you’ll ever get used to it,” he teases, his grin wide and playful.

My cheeks flush instantly, but I can’t help but giggle. “Honestly? I don’t think I will,” I admit, shaking my head with a small, embarrassed smile.

Riley smirks, leaning against the counter as his eyes lock onto mine. “Good to know we’re leaving a lasting impression,” he says, the teasing lilt in his voice making my heart do a little flip.

I roll my eyes playfully, turning back to the stove and grabbing the plate of pancakes. “Alright, enough of that,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “You guys need to eat before you get too cocky.”

I set the plate down on the table, and they all crowd around it eagerly, each grabbing a few pancakes. I can feel their eyes on me, even though I’m doing my best to ignore the fact that they’re all still shirtless and standing way too close for comfort.

As they dig in, Danny looks over at me and asks, “So, what do you want to do today, Sof? The storm seems to have passed.”

I glance out the window, noticing that the snow has stopped falling. The sun is shining through the trees, casting a soft golden light across the snow-covered ground. It’s beautiful, serene even.

“I don’t know,” I say, shrugging a little. “I didn’t really have any plans.”

Leo nudges me playfully with his elbow. “Come on, there must be something you want to do. It’s your weekend, after all.”

I pause, thinking for a moment. I hadn’t really thought about what I wanted to do. I’d been so wrapped up in everything happening—being here with them, the storm, the way they’ve taken care of me—that I hadn’t even considered it.

“Well,” I say slowly, “I’ve never actually built a snowman before.”

There’s a brief moment of silence, and then all four of them burst into laughter.

“Wait, seriously?” Danny asks, his eyes wide with disbelief. “You’ve never built a snowman?”

I shake my head, feeling a little embarrassed. “Nope. Never.”

Riley looks like he’s about to fall over from laughing so hard. “Oh, we are definitely changing that today.”

Nate grins, his eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. “Alright, it’s settled. Snowman building it is.”

I laugh along with them, feeling a warmth spread through me that has nothing to do with the pancakes or the sunshine outside. This—this feeling of being carefree, of laughing and planning silly things with them—feels so different from anything I’ve ever known. And it feels perfect.

Leo, still grinning, grabs my hand, squeezing it gently. “You’ll have the best snowman by the time we’re done.”