Page 118 of Theirs to Rule

Before she could reply, we were out the door. Ty grabbed my hand, and together we practically ran outside. “What is it? What did you see?” he said.

“I saw part of a drawing buried under some papers on her desk. It was of some kind of tree,” I rushed to explain. “I saw the same symbol on a gate at an estate not far from here. I’m pretty sure it matches one of the ones from the flag we found.” I took out my phone and showed him the photos of the gates. “The guy who owned the house came out and acted weird, trying to get me inside. He said he’s the university president.”

“Fuck. We need to meet with Kage, Dante, and Bianca.”

Right. Together, we left various texts and messages. Everyone got back to us, and it looked like they could all be at the chateau in the next half hour.

Ty and I were sitting on the couch in tense silence. I knew my mind should be on the clue I’d seen in theconciliantis'soffice, but instead, it was on what Ty had told her. “Why did you tell her about us? About our history? Why did you tell her we were more than friends, when we aren’t even that?”

He frowned. “We don’t have time to get into this right now.”

“They’re simple questions that should have simple answers.”

He snorted. “Nothing about us is simple, Camille.”

“This should be. You came here to find your family’s killer, not for me. The two of us being here is just a weird twist of fate. Ever since you’ve been here, you’ve pushed me away. So why tell her that?”

He raked his hand through his hair then stared at the floor for several long moments. When he finally looked at me, I gasped. The mask that Ty wore, the one that shielded his emotions, the one that made me believe he hated me half the time, was gone. In his eyes, I saw regret. Hunger. Agony.

“Ty?” I whispered.

“You want to know why I told her that? Why I couldn’t stand the thought of her, of anyone, truly believing that you don’t mean something to me? It’s because you’re right. I push you away because I’m scared. Because I want you. I want everything. And I know if I take it, if you give it to me, I’ll ruin you. It’s why I broke up with you before. But if I can’t have you, Camille, I can’t have anyone. It’s why I haven’t touched another woman since you.”

Shock reverberated through me. I gaped at him then shook my head. “You’re lying.”

He just stared at me. “Am I?”

“But… but why?”

“Let me ask you something first. You, Kage, and Dante. How does it work?”

I blushed. “We’re figuring it out as we go along. Dante gives me things Kage can’t. And vice versa. Only…”

“Only what?”

I was still struggling to accept what he’d told me. That he hadn’t been with anyone else since me. But if it was true…

“Only, as happy as they make me, there’s a void in me. A hole that will always be there. You broke my heart and while it’s been pieced back together, there will always be cracks waiting for you to fill them. I meant what I said to her. I still love you, Ty.”

“Christ, don’t say that! I’m hanging by a thread here, Camille. I have been ever since I came back from Italy. I’ve stayed away from you.”

“And I’ve missed you.”

“Hardly. Kage and Dante…”

“Yes, Kage and Dante have my heart, Ty. But you were the first boy I ever loved. And I’ll go to my grave loving you,” I said. All the hurt and anger I’d felt for him since he returned to Crimsonvale paled in comparison to the determination I felt. I needed him to understand I’d never gotten over him. If I diedtomorrow, I’d die regretting that we weren’t together, but at least I wouldn’t regret not telling Ty how I still felt.

Ty grabbed my arm, his grip painful, but I could tell it was emotion that moved him, not anger. I raised my hand and cupped his face. “My Ty,” I whispered. “You’ll always be my Ty. No matter how dark you’ve gotten, I’ll always see the light inside you.”

He groaned then he was kissing me. Gripping his waist, I kissed him back, my tongue circling his. My heart thumped as my body begged for more. I pulled him against me only for him to push me back and jump to his feet.

“No,” he panted. “We can’t do this. I can’t?—”

I got to my feet too, surprised when he backed away from me. “Why? You said?—”

“I know what I said. But you don’t understand. I’ve changed since we were together. The things I want to do to you… the things Ineedto do to you…”

“What? You want to hurt me?”

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