Page 166 of In Love with a Ruthless Man

She nodded, saying between compressed lips, “Davos.” She raised her eyes to his. “But I don’t care—-”

“My life is not for you,” the prince said gently.

She grabbed his hand when he started to stand up, crying out, “Didn’t you hear me?I don’t care.”

“But I do. I care just enough for you, and that’s why I can’t and won’t ever love you.” His strength defeated hers, and he was able to peel her fingers away from him.

She stared up at him as he slid gracefully to his feet, and oh, wasn’t that a sign, too?

That he could move with such grace while she couldn’t even remember how to crawl?

“I’ll be leaving town to ensure Beatrice Crichton is out of harm’s way.”

“Take me with you.” She reached for him, but the prince stepped back, and she fell flat on her face, cutting her lip.

Graceful.

Graceless.

Someone who loved against someone who didn’t love.

Humiliation curled in the pit of her stomach, and when it became obvious the prince wouldn’t even help her up, she forced herself to move, managing to get on her knees—-

Only for her to see him walk away from her.

Again.

Oh God.

How many times did this man have to walk away—-

Before he realized it wouldn’t make her feelings change?

“Prince,please.”

The prince halted by the doorway, and without looking back, he said quietly, “For your sake, you must learn to forget me.”

A hopeless cry escaped her. “I can’t.”

“Then that’s a pity...because I can forget you.”

LIFE WENT ON.

Grant had transferred to another university. Nick and Jason Christakos had taken their stand in court, and major networks began to cover the trial as twist after explosive twist began to unfold.

A full month passed, and yet she continued to love him.

Night after night, she would wonder why she couldn’t make herself stop, and only one answer made sense.

She couldn’t stop loving him because a part of her believed the prince also loved her back.

It was that simple.

It was that impossible.

More days passed, and Fawn was beginning to feel paranoid. Someone seemed to be following her wherever she went, as if biding his time before making his move.

Which is stupid,she told herself. Keeping her out of trouble was why the prince had left her in the first place.

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