Page 204 of Endgame

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“Yes. That’s my price.” Like hell. There’s nothing anyone could do to take Aurora from me. “She’ll disappear, and so will your problems. And hey, you’re not too old to adopt another stray, are you?”

The last part physically hurt to say out loud. Calling Aurora a stray. Acting as if adopting a child is an act of pity instead of love.

Even my cold heart rebels at that.

“All right.” He gets up to shake on it. I rise to my feet as well, accepting his hand this time while stifling the need to throw up.

I have never been more repulsed in my life.

“You’ve been closed off all these years.” Winston’s shit-eating grin almost makes me put my fist through his face. “Yet here you are, talking to me. Being smart about our future.”

“You’ll hear from my people tomorrow.” My lips curve up, matching his grin. It’s nothing but a mask that hides layers of pain. Of guilt. Of hurt.

I’ve won this round.

I’ll soon win the war.

But there’s no joy to be held in this victory. This isn’t a victory at all.

My loved ones are gone.

Aurora had been left to fend for herself for years.

I. Failed. Them.

It’s a miserable kind of vengeance.

Winston leaves the room. My dark soul turns pitch-black.

My heart barricades itself behind the high walls I’ve erected throughout the years.

It shuts out the onslaught of pain. Of love. Of remorse so strong my ribs are about to crack.

Wall after wall, I force myself to forget any emotion that’s gone through me over the past month.

Moments pass, and then…there it is. The darkness. The void.

I feel nothing.

I am nothing.

Better this way, I lie to myself as I bury my face in my hands and shut myself off completely.

36

AURORA

“Wake up.” Everett’s familiar command jolts me out of my sleep.

It’s the most emotion he’s shown me in over twenty-four hours. His hand is wrapped around me, right above my collar.

I’m lying on my side, squeezing my eyes tighter shut.

Praying.

Please, don’t let this be a dream. I want it to be real.

Ever since he picked me up from the hospital yesterday, life has been a nightmare.

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