Page 155 of By His Play

“No,” she snaps, tugging herself away from my touch.“Just go, Kieran.”

“W-what?”

“Just go back to Chicago. It’s your home. It’s where you belong.”

“No,” I breathe, refusing to accept what she’s saying. “No. It’s your home, too. And we’re going back today. Together.” Okay, so not exactly together, because we both have cars to drive back, but… “Effie.”

“I…I can’t do this, Keiran. Us. This. Everything. I…I’m not ready. I’m not strong enough.”

“But you are,” I plead. “You’re the strongest person I know. The best person I know.”

“Then leave me to do what I need to do.”

“But—”

She spins around and pins me with a look that’s full of fire and pain.

Fuck.

All I’ve done is try to make this all easier for her. And yet, All I’ve done is made it worse.

“I’ll stay, too,” I offer.

“No,” she states firmly. “You have commitments in Chicago. And to be honest, I think it’s probably for the best that we have some time apart.” Her nostrils flare as she sucks in a breath. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. And I really am sorry for causing all this. But I can’t return. I just…I can’t.”

I stare at her, watching her body tremble with a mixture of anger, frustration, and pain.

“I can’t leave you like this.”

Sucking in a deep breath, she holds her head high and rolls her shoulders back.

“You have to. This…whatever this is…It’s done, Kieran.”

She turns her back on me, and it’s all I can do to suck in my next breath.

Her shoulders shake as she silently cries, and I stand there completely useless.

My body screams at me to reach out and drag her in for a hug. But my head…that tells me to do as she said and walk away.

But how? How can I return to Chicago and leave her behind?

“Please, Kieran.” Her plea is so quiet I almost miss it.

“Effie, I don’t know if I can?—”

“You can,” she assures me. “You have people waiting for you. Just…message me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”

“What about you?”

She shrugs.

“I need more time.”

“But you will come home?”

Silence follows my question and my fists curl, my nails digging into my palms in an attempt to stop myself from physically reacting.

I want to look in her eyes. I want to do whatever it takes to bring her with me.

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