Kallie grabbed my arm so hard that I thought it might bruise. “Will you? Because I can’t do this alone. I need you to support me.”
“What about Marcus?” I asked. This could destroy him.
Kallie dropped my arm. “What aboutme? Everyone’s always concerned about Marcus and how fragile he is, but nobody asks what I want. This relationship isn’t all about him. I’m a part of it, too, and if I don’t want to be anymore, then I shouldn’t be forced to!”
I frowned. “You’re right. It’s not fair.”
“Not even close,” Kallie bit. “Believe me, I’ve thought about the consequences a million times. The last thing I want to do is hurt Marcus, but I don’t think it’s fair for me to stay in a situation that’s hurting both of us. I can’t be in a relationship with someone who isn’t there for himself, let alone there for me. I’m terrified Marcus is going to hurt himself one day, and I can’t be there to wonder if it’s my fault.”
“Do you really think he would?” I knew Marcus had attempted to take his own life before, but I assumed he was past that.
“I’m not talking about suicide, Charlie.” Kallie’s voice grew heavier than before. “There’s areasonhe has so many tattoos on his arms. I’ve gotten close enough to see what he’s covering up.”
My heart plummeted to the bottom of my abdomen. I hadn’t realized. “Has he stopped?”
“He swore to me he hasn’t done it since he got to the Institute, but who knows. I’m worried if we get into another blowout argument, it could start up again. And I’m really tired of having these fights. We never resolve anything, we just go in circles. It’s the same issues over and over.”
“If it does happen, it’s not your fault, Kallie. He’s always been in a really dark place.”
“It is if I don’t make a decision to change things between us, instead of dragging it out. I want to help him more than anything, but I only feel like I’m making it worse. I think it’d be better for both of us if I’m not around. I just want us both to stop hurting.”
Kallie wasbeggingme, and her vulnerability made me want to shred her bond right there on the spot. I knew her relationship with Marcus wasn’t great, but I hadn’t realized how bad it truly was.
“What does the future look like if I break your bond?” I asked. “Because if we do this, it’s permanent. It’s not something you can take back, or something I can fix once it’s gone.”
Kallie took a moment to catch her breath. “I still have a duty to fulfill. I’ll save the world with you guys, but once that’s over, I can’t talk to Marcus anymore. It’s too painful to be reminded of how much I love him. I’ll have to move on and go live a different life, and I can never see him again. So tell me, Charlie. Is this the right decision?”
A lump formed in my throat so large, I could barely speak past it. “If you’re looking for me to talk you out of it, I can’t do that. Because one way or another, you’ve already made up your mind. You just have to admit to yourself what you really want.”
I wasn’t sure which side she’d chosen, to be honest, but I had my suspicions. If Kallie had her way, she’d have broken her bond by now. I knew fae had the ability to sever their own mating bonds, and Kallie had tried, but she was too attached to Marcus to go through with it. That’s why she needed me to do it for her.
It was overwhelming to consider. The Villain’s Club wouldn’t be much of a club without Kallie and Marcus. We’d never hang out as a group again. I knew once this happened, the four of us would never get to connect as friends like we had before. If I did this, it would create a broken family. I couldn’t imagine the weight Kallie took on in making this decision.
But it washerdecision, and as much as I didn’t like it, I had to respect it. I just wished they could work this out, because following through on this would be life-altering— hell, it was a soul-altering decision.
“You should talk to Marcus,” I encouraged. “Give him one last chance to convince you to work this out, and if you still mean it after you talk, I’ll break your bond.”
“That’s it?” Kallie asked. “One conversation, then you’ll break it?”
I nodded. “One conversation. Then you make the call.”
“I just want this to be over,” Kallie insisted. “I’m texting Marcus so we can do this right now.”
I heard her furiously typing on her phone. Kallie paced around the balcony as we waited for Marcus to get her message and meet us here.
It was only a few minutes before his footsteps approached.
“What’s so urgent?” Marcus asked. He’d come so quickly it appeared he’d left Rishi behind in his room. I had no idea what the text had said, but it’d made him move.
“You might want to sit down,” I told him. Kallie and Marcus took a seat at a patio table overlooking the city, while I remained standing.
Marcus’ voice raised a pitch. “You guys are freaking me out. Where’s Ava?”
“Sleeping.” I crossed my arms. “This is between you and Kallie. She has some things she’d like to say to you.”
Marcus’ chair squeaked as he shifted uncomfortably. “I’m listening.”
Kallie drew a deep breath, but her voice wavered. “I’m thinking that maybe… maybe we should…”
