“Isla,”he rumbled, a soft vibration that sent shivers down my spine.
My heart hammered in my chest, each beat screaming how much I wanted him, but my mind was a battleground of emotions.
“Isla,”he repeated, his voice laced with desperation.“Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on inside that head of yours.”
I swallowed, struggling with the storm of emotions threatening to consume me.“I shouldn’t have let things go so far,”I whispered, feeling the weight of the words press down on me.“I can’t be here…with you.”
“Why do you pull away now? After what we’ve shared?”His words seemed to struggle past a barricade of hurt, each one underscored by a raw, aching bewilderment.
My heart ached, and I bit my lip, fighting back the tears.“It’s complicated,”I whispered, feeling trapped by the emotions that surged within me.
“Talk to me, Isla. Help me understand,”he pleaded, moving even closer. The space between us had dwindled to nothing, our breaths mingling, his musky scent surrounding me.
My heart raced, the closeness of him threatening to break down all my defenses once more.“Ky’rn…I never intended for this to happen. I came to say goodbye. To let go and move on. But…”
“But?”he prompted gently.
“But you make me feel things I never thought I could feel again. And it terrifies me. Because every time I’ve let someone in, I’ve been hurt,”I admitted, tears now streaming down my face.
Ky’rn’s eyes softened, and he drew me into his embrace, his chest firm against my head.“I would never hurt you, Isla. I promise.”
Pulling back slightly, I searched his face for any hint of insincerity. But all I saw was raw honesty.“How can you be so sure?”
Panic bubbled in my chest. I had always been in control, always focused, but Ky’rn was a variable I hadn’t been prepared for. I never thought I would see him ever again—that the phantom with the glowing amber gaze that haunted me whenever I was near water would return, splashing back into my life.
His grip tightened, fingers digging into my skin, the lines of confusion deepening on his face.“Why, Isla? Why run away from this? From us?”
The pain and confusion I saw there threatened to undo me. I took a shuddering breath, torn between the pain of pushing him away and the undeniable draw he had on me.“Because I have to. Being here, with you…it’s a mistake,”I choked out, hating myself for how it sounded, for the hurt I knew I was causing.
“Do you regret it?”His mental voice was low, filled with an emotion I couldn’t place.“Do you regret us?”
I blinked away the tears, shaking my head slowly.“No, not us, never us. It’s just…the timing, everything. We are in the wrong place at the wrong time.”I hesitated, searching for the right words. “I should’ve heeded your warning when you told me to forget about you, because I didn’t know saying goodbye to you would hurt so much.”
His fingers traced my jawline, causing goosebumps to erupt on my skin.“What changed? Tell me, Isla. What is haunting you? What shadows are you running from?”
My throat tightened, the weight of today pressed down on me.“It’s not you, Ky’rn,”I whispered.“It’s the weight of responsibilities—of duties—I can’t ignore. And as much as I want to be with you, as much as my heart aches for you. I wish…I wish things could be different.”
“Then tell me. Let me in, Isla. What are you afraid of?”He drew closer, his face inches from mine.“I can afford to take care of you, and by using my position as a commander, I will be able to help grant you citizenship within the IPA, along with a home to reside in, away from here.”
I gazed into Ky’rn’s eyes, a swirling pool of emotions churning within me. His face was so close, the warmth of his breath mingling with mine, his concern and determination clear in his intense gaze. His offer was generous, a lifeline for me to grab onto.
“It’s not about your ability to take care of me or the life we could have.”I swallowed hard, my throat tight.“I have all the luxury in the world, but it can’t buy me happiness... or love. I once made the mistake and thought I understood what love was, but the person I trusted my heart with tore it away... using my life as a bargaining chip to try to acquire a portion of my family’s riches.”My gaze fell to his chest, unable to meet his stare.“And that is when you found me.
“There’s a human saying that says enough money can buy you happiness, but what’s the point of money, when people are willing to use and kill you over it?”I let out a shaky breath.“As much as I want to cast everything aside, I’m afraid of trusting anyone, fearing that history will repeat itself once again.”
Tears streamed down my face, and I felt the walls I had so carefully constructed begin to crumble once again. Deep down, I knew he was sincere, but my past held me prisoner. The weight of past betrayals, heartbreak, and loss bore down on me.
Ky’rn gave me a glimmer of hope, a possibility of a future where maybe, just maybe, I could forget about all my responsibilities and run away with him, not caring about the legacy forced upon me.
“You can trust me.”He brushed away my tears with his thumb.“Give me a chance, Isla. Give us a chance. We may be from different worlds, but our souls…they’re connected. Can’t you feel it?”
I believed him. Perhaps it was the intimate connection of hearing his words, the gentle resonance of his voice, reverberating telepathically through my mind like a soothing lullaby, that convinced me of his sincerity.
I nodded slowly, my resolve wavering.“I can. And that’s what scares me the most.”
“Then why not come with me? Run away with me. Forget your legacy…and those who hurt you,”he begged, his mental voice breaking, revealing the depth of his emotions.“Come start a new life with me.”
“I can’t!”The words came out sharper than I intended, and I saw the hurt in his eyes.
