He studied me long and hard.
“You’ve always been dramatic.”
“I’ve always been honest.”
He exhaled, tired.
“Ares will be stronger than we were.”
“He better be.”
He watched my face carefully, like he was looking for hesitation. There wasn’t any.
“And you still hate me.”
I shook my head slowly.
“I don’t hate you. I just remember.”
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I leaned forward slightly.
“You owe me,” I said quietly.
His mouth pressed into a thin line.
“You think I don’t regret it?” he said.
“I think regret doesn’t undo anything.”
His eyes drifted back to my necklace.
“You always choose powerful men.”
I gave him a small, tired smile.
“No. I choose men who choose me.”
He didn’t answer.
His breathing started to slow again, exhaustion creeping in. The sickness was winning little by little. He hated that.
I stood up and adjusted his blanket.
“I’m going to see her,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because somebody should have seen me.”
I walked toward the door, then paused.
“You built an empire,” I said without turning around. “Don’t let it be remembered for breaking women to hold it up.”
Then I left him there with that.
CHAPTER 29
