Page 68 of Bad Wolf

He turns in his seat and his gaze sears me. Literally cooks me from the inside out. He stairs at my bare feet and then slowly makes his way up my body.

He finally speaks when he reaches my eyes “How did you get in here?”

“Jason left the door open.”

The muscle in his jaw pops as anger flashes through his eyes.

“They’re not who I thought they were.” Oh boy, I don’t think that’s his first or even fifth drink of the night.

I shake my head. “I don’t understand. Your brothers? Coralie?”

He simply nods.

“I should go. I’m causing too much pain. I hate that you’re not talking to them because of me. They’ve helped me and selfishly I’ve taken it. I’m ashamed I needed so much support that it’s made you feel like they’ve abandoned you. I’m so sorry for that. I think it’s best if I leave New York now that you’ve heard me out, that was the plan after all.”

I don’t know what else to do.

“’Night, Wren,” he says, and turns away again.

The best hearts are ever the bravest,my subconscious mocks.

“Please,” I whisper. One last plea.

Nothing. He just takes another drink of the whiskey, his throat working a harsh swallow and blinks.

That’s it. That’s everything I’ve got. I give him one last look. Take in his handsome face one time.

I won’t waste my chance at a new start. I’ll just go somewhere else. Somewhere just for me. Somewhere I can reinvent myself. I won’t waste the chance Casey and Anna have given me. I’ll make something of myself.

I don’t think I’ll ever not love Knox. But it’s time to move on. I need to give myself permission to let go. My heart stutters at the thought. She’ll definitely take some work, but maybe in time, Knox won’t own all of me.

“There’s… There’s too much history here. Lies, too much hurt. I-I can’t go back, I just can’t. Part of me will always love you. Always wonderwhat if? But there’s a bigger part of me that just can’t let go of what happened.”

His voice is hoarse. Strained, and low, and I spin so fast I see stars.

There’s nothing cool about the way I practically run back over, bare feet and gaping heart to where he’s now standing. He’s stunning, so beautifully broken tonight. The look of complete anguish on his face.

He’s torn, I can see it. He’s mad as hell and hates it too.

“I still love you. I never stopped,” I tell him.

Are those the magic words?

Not the how or why? But the now? Does now count for anything?

He shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut. “No.”

“Please, Knox, don’t do this. You will regret it, I know you will. You’ll remember me standing here in front of you. Telling you I never stopped loving you. Telling you my reasons for doing what I did. You know I would never let anything hurt you. You were born for stardom, for this amazing, big life. Please,” I beg him, “please understand that when I found out, we needed to end. I had to make it hurt. Make you not try to fight for me. He destroyed my life. I wasn’t gonna drag you down too.”

Tears burst from his eyes, and I stumble back in shock. All six foot three of him shakes and he loses the grip he has on the tumbler. It sails to the floor and shatters into what seems like a million tiny pieces.

“No one. No one has ever loved anyone as much as I loved you.”

I launch myself at him, but his reflexes are faster, and he hauls me to him, stopping me from cutting my feet on the broken glass.

His fingers dig into the cheeks of my ass as he walks me forward until I hit the wall, and his mouth is on mine before I can take a breath, hot and punishing. I open up immediately and his relentless tongue invades my mouth.

Commanding.

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