But strangely, I can’t bring myself to even care.
I startle at the low whine of the bedroom door as it opens, locking eyes with Koen just as he freezes in the doorway.
He doesn’t say anything, but his impassive eyes darken at the sight of me before he looks away. Stalking purposefully over to the dresser on the far wall, he wrenches open the drawers, pulling out what looks to be some clean clothes, before turning, to leave again.
“Wait,” I call out, keeping my voice low so I don’t wake Remi, but loud enough to know he heard me.
He doesn’t, disappearing back through the door. He’s barely got it closed before I’m shoving off the covers, and chasing after him out into the hallway.
“We need to talk!”
“No, we don’t,” he bites out, not bothering to look back as he’s closing in on the stairs.
A surge of frustration spurs me forward, and I run after him, grabbing hold of his arm to stop him from leaving.
“Stay,please.” The words sound pathetic—but I am pathetic—and desperate. Ineedhim to put me out of my misery, one way or another.
Koen growls at my touch, and I release him almost as soon as I have him, but it’s too late; he whirls on me, fury flaming through indifference. I back up, hitting the wall, and his arms come up, caging me in.
Words flood out of me, but he looks away, his hand curling around my arm, moving me roughly out of the hall and into another room—another bedroom. He shuts the door behind us.
“Don’t.” His eyes flash as he reels on me, his fist clenched tight at his side. “Don’t stand there and pretend this was ever anything more than what it was.You used me.”
“That’s not true,” I argue, but he’s shaking his head, refusing to hear me out.
“You want to know what the worst part of all of this is?” My lips press together, and my heart is thundering; the edge in his voice is sharper than a knife. “It’s not the way you betrayed me, or lied… No, the worst part isn’t what youdid—but how I actually believed youwantedme.”
There’s a raw bit of vulnerability in his voice, and the sound of it cleaves my heart in two.
“It was just a lie.” He shakes his head, backing away, moving toward the door.
“It wasn’t a lie… Notallof it,” I say quietly.
“Stop lying!”
“I’m not!” My voice breaks. “I wanted to tell you! I wanted to tell youall of itbecause Idocare about you. I wanted—” I shake my head because it doesn’t matter anymore.None of it matters anymore.He’ll never forgive me after what I did, but I can still apologize. “I’m sorry, Koen.” His name on my lips stops his retreat from the bedroom. “I’m so,so sorry.”
He turns back, striding toward me, closing the gap between us in less than two strides, grabbing hold of my jaw to stop the words from coming out of my mouth.
“I don’t want tohearhow sorry you are.” His voice is hard and full of malice, and he holds me there, looking down at me, the dark edges of his eyes glinting in the light. “I want you toshowme.”
He releases my jaw, his fingers finding the zipper of his jeans, dragging it down slowly.
I swallow hard.
“You said youwantedme? That it wasn’t just another lie? That you’resorry?” I try not to flinch at the venom dripping from his words.
“Then prove it. Get on your knees, open that pretty little mouth, and show me just how much youwantme.” His tone is cold, his words achallenge. He doesn’t think I’ll do it—doesn’t think I’ll take the bait.
Surprise flashes in the dark shadows of his eyes when I sink down to my knees, holding his gaze as I do. His eyes go fully black at the sight.
“You wantthis?” The doubt in his tone is clear. He’s holding himself back. Despite his anger, maybe even his desire, he doesn’t want to take more than I’m willing to offer.
“I wantyou,” I say clearly. “I always have.”
“You don’t know what it is you’re asking for, Love.”
He frees himself, and he’s already hard. “Beg for it. Idareyou,” he commands, his eyes alive with the challenge. “Convince me you’remine.”
