Alexandre was right about Evelyne’s misery. Gabriel found her in the future nursery, surrounded by wallpaper samples. Crying.
His heart cracked in two at the misery pouring out of her. Because ofhim. Because of his fears. His weaknesses.
He never wanted to watch her cry out of sorrow for him again. If there was any monster still inside him, he would remember Evelyne crying before he gave it any credence.
She looked up at him as he stepped into the room. Her expression showed no signs of surprise.
Or excitement. Or warmth. Just…resignation.
She wiped the tears away, made no move to excuse them or apologize for them. “I have been trying to decide between a zoo theme or an alphabet theme. It is quite a difficult choice.”
She looked at the walls, clearly miserable. When she should feel joy and hope and excitement. All things she’d had before he’d inserted himself into her life.
Or all things she’d had until you ran away from it.
There could be no more of this. Not if it hurt her in such a way. It was no better than being a monster.
Gabriel cleared his throat, fighting past the tightness there. “I quite liked dogs when I was a young boy.”
“Dogs,” she repeated. She blinked. She looked around the room as if picturing it. “I have always wanted a dog.”
“I imagine we could have one now.” He used theweon purpose. And he let himself see it. Her. A baby. Their son. A dog running around. A family that he would protect, love, cherish.
Never run away from.
For a moment, she looked like she was considering it, then she shook her head and closed her eyes, more tears landing on her cheeks. “I wish you weren’t here,” she said, sounding a little petulant. “Go away.”
But the words hurt even if he knew why she said them. He never wanted her to wish that again. “I… I’m sorry.”
“You should be. You should be sorry about everything. Every damn thing.”
Thiswas hisprincipessa. No cool looks, no detachment like those weeks ago when she’dagreedwith him. And he could see it for what it was now. Fake. Trying to get through to him, trying to get him to realize his mistake.
Instead, he’d doubled down.
But he was here now, a new truth inside him. And she was beingherself. Emotion and truth and just…her.
All those aches and pains and desperate cracks inside him that he’d been so sure were his due, werenecessaryin order to know he was doing the right thing, eased.
He moved closer to her, then crouched next to her. She eyed him with a scowl.
“What if I told you I was?” he asked. “Sorry. For all of it.”
She looked up at him, tears on her cheeks he could not help but wipe away.
“I would not believe you,” she said, but she didn’t move away from his hands on her face.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m mad at you and I want to stay that way.”
“Do you?”
Her lips trembled and she shook her head. “Why are you here?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Alex…set me up. He put me in a volatile position, and when I did not react violently and obsessively, he pointed out that perhaps… I had learned something all those years ago. That actions have consequences, and I care about the result of mine.”
She lifted her chin. Sniffed. “Itried to set you up and you stayed away. Why should I be impressed Alexandre got through to you?”
