Page 5 of Betrayed in the Dark
His shoulders tense as he rises to his full height. “I know—”
“You know nothing!” I cut him off, shoving at his muscular chest. “You think because we shared some measly letters or a few forgettable nights together that you know me, but you don’t.” I walk to the other side of the room, fury overtaking me. “You don’t fucking know me.” I shake my head, getting lost in my memories. “Not since…”
My words trail off as my mind relives a moment that has continually haunted me.
Four words echo across my skull.
Back and forth.
Up and down.
One sentence that changed everything between him and me.
My heart thunders violently beneath my rib cage, a tremble tumbling through me, shaking me to my core.
I pinch my eyes shut, my fingers digging into my scalp. “Make it stop,” I plead.
Eli’s large hands cup my cheeks. “Make what stop?”
I open my eyes, blinking back tears I won’t let escape, especially not in front of him. I take in his worried features, his eyes softening with concern.
He’s the man I dreamed of spending forever with.
But that’s all it ever was—only a dream.
“Nothing.” I swallow down every emotion and straighten my shoulders, placing a smile back on my face. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a fiancé waiting for me.” I shove past him and turn, my knuckles wrapping around the doorknob.
“When was the exact moment you stopped waiting?”
His words slice through my icy heart, stopping me in my tracks. “That’s not fair,” I whisper, peeking over my shoulder.
“Fair?” Anger unleashes in his voice. “Did you forget about the damn promises we made to each other?”
I stare at him, completely bewildered by his accusation.
How dare he?
I’ve spent the past ten months crying in the shadows because of him, mending a broken heart in silence, never letting anyone witness my daily agony: the nightmares, the panic attacks, the guilt, and the insomnia—all because of him.
I face him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Clearly, we made promises to each other that neither one of us could keep.”
“Oh? And how did I break mine? Because if I remember correctly, you were engaged to another man when I came home. It was you who broke your promise to me. So, please, enlighten me: which promise did I break?”
“You promised to never hurt me.” My words settle in the space between us. His features contort with either confusion or understanding; I’m not entirely sure which one. But either way, I can’t stay this close to him any longer.
My walls are cracking with every passing second.
And I refuse to break in front of him.
He opens his lips, a sorry-ass excuse probably sitting on the tip of his tongue, but it’s too late. The damage has been done.
Holding up a hand, I stop him. “Let’s get one thing clear right now. You’re my brother’s best friend and, unfortunately for me, a part of my family. But that does not give you the right to storm into my engagement party—one of the happiest nights of my life, I might add—and be mad at me for moving on with my life.” I twist the doorknob, opening it a few inches. “Oh, and do not ever refer to me as ‘Princess’ again. That name died along with the girl who once believed in fairy tales and happily ever afters. Now, I know the only person who will ever rescue me is my goddamn self.” Locking eyes with him, my heart beats wildly beneath my rib cage. “I once made the mistake of loving you, Eli. But I promise you, I will never make that same mistake again.”
Slamming the door behind me, I straighten my shoulders and stride confidently back into my engagement party toward the man across the room, flirting with a blonde by his side.
Alastor Manacorda.
My fiancé.
