“Selene—” I try one more time, though I’m not even sure what I want to say. Some part of me—the stupid, hopeful part that thought last night could be real—wants to fight for this. To explain that yes, I came here for a mission, but that changed. That she changed everything.
“Just leave, Khatak.” Her voice is flat now. Empty. “Go get your alliance. Isn’t that what you came here for?”
I nod slowly. Words seem impossible.
I pick up my comm device from the desk. Stare at it for a moment. The unsent recording to my father mocks me—proof that I was about to throw everything away. That I already chose her over the mission.
Not that it matters now.
I delete the recording. My finger hovers over the screen, then I pocket the device.
I move toward the door. She doesn’t stop me. Doesn’t say anything at all.
I pause when I reach the threshold, my hand on the door frame. Turn back.
She’s standing in the middle of my room, arms still wrapped tight around herself, looking smaller than I’ve ever seen her. Hurt. Closed off. Safe behind walls I helped her build right back up.
I want to say something. To tell her that she’s right to be angry, that I’m sorry, that everything between us was real even if it shouldn’t have been. That I was about to choose her over everything else, and I’d make that choice again in a heartbeat.
But I don’t deserve to say any of that.
She’s better off thinking I just used her. At least then she’s not wasting any more time on someone like me.
So I just nod once and step out into the hallway.
The door closes behind me with a soft click.
Chapter
Eight
SELENE
The kitchen door slams behind me with enough force that several pots rattle on their hooks. I don’t care. Can’t care. My vision blurs as tears spill down my cheeks, hot and angry and humiliating.
I was so stupid. So incredibly stupid.
“Selene?” Elana’s voice cuts through the fog. “What happened?”
I press my palms against my eyes, trying to stem the tide, but it’s useless. A sob tears from my throat.
The sound of rapid footsteps. Then Elana’s hands are on my shoulders, steadying me as my knees threaten to give out.
“Okay. Okay, you’re okay.” Her voice is calm, grounding. “Come on, sit down. We’ll figure this out together.”
I can trust her. At least there’s someone in this world I can trust, unlike…
She guides me to the staff table—the same one where I sat just yesterday, gushing about Khatak like a lovesick teenager. The memory makes fresh tears spill over.
“Laura!” Elana calls out. “We need you!”
“What’s—oh my god.” Laura appears from the walk-in cooler, a bag of vegetables in her arms. She drops them on the counter and rushes over. “Selene, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Khatak.” I choke out, words caught in my tight throat.
“Where’s Sutek?” Elana demands, her pale eyes flashing dangerously. “What did that bastard do? I swear, if he hurt you?—”
“Sutek’s with Khatak... And Rist. Khatak wants to meet with Rist.”
