He cleared his throat. “Can I get you anything?”
“I don’t need anything from you.”
His heart rate ratcheted. She couldn’t have meant her words to sound so harsh, even though she’d spoken so certainly. It had been a long night, and they were both exhausted. That was all.
Her voice was quiet, but horribly resolute. “I want you to leave.”
His stomach dropped, even as his thoughts raced.You’re misreading her. She’s not ordering you away for good. She just wants to sleep.
“I’ll go,” he said, a thin catch in his voice. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have disturbed you. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Her jaw tensed. “I can’t keep doing this. I need you to leave me alone.”
Venn stared at her. Shock, hurt, and denial punched through him. “I . . . don’t understand.”
For the first time, pain was evident in her eyes. “You haven’t understood me for days. I don’t want your sympathy, or your comfort. I don’t wantyou.”
Venn drew back, the chair creaking under his weight. His gut churned. “Vera, I know you’re hurting right now, but—”
“Do you think this is ever going to change?” she cut in. “That I’m going to look at you and not see the man who failed to save my sister?”
The words were a knife in his heart. “I—I’m sorry for what happened to Ivonne. But that wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t there—”
“I’m perfectly aware of that.” Her beautiful eyes sharpened. “Noone was there for her. You had weeks to catch him, but you failed, and my sister paid the price.”
“I’m so sorry.” It was all he could think to say.
Tears swam in her eyes as she continued to watch him. “So am I.”
It was the finality of her words that snapped something inside him. Made all of this suddenly real. His lungs tightened, making his words sound pinched. “Please don’t do this. Vera, I love you.”
The words just slipped out, and the desperate edge in them made them no less true.
He’d imagined what it would be like to say them. He’d pictured Vera’s blush. Her grin. Her arms winding around him and his head buried in her hair as he said it again and again.I love you. I love you. I love you . . .
He’d held those words close, awaiting the perfect moment to give them air.
But nothing was right about this moment.
A ripple of emotion crossed Vera’s face, and then her jaw hardened. Her eyes went flatter than before, despite a mist of unshed tears. Her silence was the most painful rejection he could ever imagine, and it was in this moment that he truly realized what was happening.
He was losing her.
His stomach was a yawning pit and his pulse thudded in his ears. Reaching for her was instinct, his dark fingers curling toward her hand.
She jerked away before he could touch her.
Venn froze at her recoil. Everything within him was cold as ice. “Please,” he breathed.
Vera’s focus was unyielding as she stared at him. “I don’t love you, Venn. I never could. Not now.”
Behind him, weak light began to creep across the room. His shadow was cast over Vera, and he knew what she was saying. He understood the words. But for the life of him, he couldn’t understand what he was supposed to do now.
Slowly, he rose. She watched him, those tears still swimming in her eyes, but not falling.
“I’m sorry I disturbed you.” His voice sounded muted. Wooden. It took all of his strength to continue. “I assure you, it won’t happen again.”
He strode for the door, not sure why he thought she might call him back. She had been quite clear, and far calmer than he was.
