“You wish me well?” He stepped into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. “You’re destined to be with another man?”
Aurora blinked. “What are you—”
“You think you can dismiss me with a few polite lines?” He advanced on her, and she retreated until her back met the wall. “You think you can thank me for helping you find someone else?”
“I don’t know what you’re tal—”
“Don’t lie to me.” He braced his hands on either side of her head, caging her in. This close, she was intoxicating. He could see the rapid flutter of her pulse at the base of her throat, could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. “Tell me his name.”
“There is no one—”
“Tell me his name, Aurora. It’s the only thing you didn’t write—”
“I didn’t writeanything!”Her eyes were bright with unshed tears now. “Ella just gave me your letter, and y-you...you were the one who wished me well, and it m-made me cry, I c-couldn’t—I had to—”
Mik’hail went still the moment he heard Aurora mention the other girl’s name, and understanding dawned, slow and terrible.
Ella, you meddlesome brat.
It was Ella, not Aurora.
Ella who had played matchmaker because she had seen how Aurora had cried over his missive.
“Mik’hail?” Her voice was small now, uncertain. “What did the letter say?”
He couldn’t speak. Could barely breathe.
“What did it say?” she asked again, and this time her voice cracked. “Was it—did Ella tell you I’d found someone else? Is that why you’re here? To make sure I don’t embarrass you by—”
“Stop.”
The word came out hoarse, ragged.
“Stop,” he said again, softer this time. He released the wall and cupped her face in his hands, tilting it up so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. “I’m not here because of embarrassment. I’m not here because of duty or obligation or any of the other excuses I’ve been hiding behind.”
Aurora’s lips parted, but no sound came out.
“I’m here,” Mik’hail said grimly, “because the thought of you with another man made me want to tear the world apart.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I’m here because I’ve been miserable without you. Because I can’t sleep, can’t think, can’t breathe without wondering if you’re okay. Because pushing you away was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m not strong enough to do it again.”
“Then why,akh?” The words came out broken. “Why did you do it in the first place? Why did you tell me you wanted to marry Ella? Why did you—”
“Because I was afraid.” He brushed the tear away with his thumb. “Because you’re Aretha’s sister, and I thought—I thought if anyone found out about us, it would destroy you. The scandal, the rumors, the way people would talk—”
“I don’t care about any of that.”
“I know.” His voice was raw. “I know you don’t. But I do. I care about protecting you, even from myself.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought if I pushed you away, you’d be better off. But then I read that letter, and I thought—”
He couldn’t finish.
“You thought I’d moved on,” Aurora whispered.
“Yes.”
“I could never move on from you.” Fresh tears were spilling down her cheeks now. “Don’t you understand? I’ve been in love with you since I was eighteen years old. I’ve wanted you for so long that I don’t even remember what it feels like not to want you. And when you told me you were going to marry someone else—”
