I closed my eyes to center myself and silence the voice of reason that was telling me to get back into my car and drive away. When I lifted my lids, August was standing beforeme.
“Don’t—” I swallowedthickly.
“Don’twhat?”
“Don’t gotomorrow.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because . . .” I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I was being selfish; I had no right to ask this ofhim.
“Because what,Dimples?”
“Because I don’t want to loseyou.”
His gaze turned so dusky his bright irises became barely distinguishable from his pupils. “Why would you loseme?”
“Because”—I wet my lips—“the Alpha’s daughter. She wants to marry you. And thelink—”
“You think I’m going there to get engaged toIngrid?”
Ingrid . . .I’d conveniently forgotten her name, but Augusthadn’t.
He never forgotanything.
“It’s just work.” He tilted his face to the side. “But I do have to wonder why it would bother you since you don’t have feelings forme.”
Evelyn’s warning beat against my temples, but then the words she’d spoken tonight trickled over them, blurring the line between right andwrong.
I steeled my spine. “August, Ilied.”
A beat of silence passed before he said, “Iknow.”
“When I was away, I—wait. What do you mean,youknow?”
His expression gentled but stayed guarded. “Frank called me a couple nightsago.”
“Frank?” I frowned. “I don’tunderstand.”
“He overheard you and Evelyn talk the day you came back from your trip. He didn’t want to get involved, but you know Frank, and how sacred he finds matinglinks.”
My eyeswidened.
“And he might’ve mentioned that you looked miserable and that I was obtuse if I actually believed you didn’t wantme.”
I didn’t think my eyes could get wider, but my lids stretchedhigher.
August raised his hand to the nape of his neck and cradled it. “What is it you want from me?” His voice was so raw it had me shivering. “To wait a couple years for you to growreadier?”
“No.”
His brow furrowed. “Thenwhat?”
“I want you to forgiveme.”
“Forwhat?”
“For lying. I know I hurt you, and I hate myself forit.”
