Page 70 of Into The Darkness

“No,” he responded softly, but his eyes stayed forward. “You are right. I shouldn’t have fallen in love with you.”

It was the last thing I heard before my eyes, red and swollen, burst into tears again. My heart practically exploded in my chest, and I leaned over the center console, lifting my hand to touch his face, but he grabbed me midair.

“No,” he demanded, “go.” His eyes darted toward my building, and I knew right then there was nothing left for either of us to give.

We were born into a world that forced us together and pulled us apart. I would sacrifice for him, be put into harm’s way, but I just didn’t know how much more I could give without having any left for myself.

Chapter twenty-seven

“Get the fuck out of bed.” Rain pulled the covers off me, and I groaned. I hated my childhood bedroom. It reminded me I was in the city, and I loathed being there.

“No.” I pulled the sheets back over my face.

“You’ve been moping this whole fucking week. Christmas with you was miserable.” Rain sat at the edge of the bed, and I shot up.

He was exaggerating. I was moping and tired most of the time, but I needed some time to sit and unwind. Because I was exhausted from everything with Dad and Ember. I’d spent most of the break in my bed, only coming out when I was summoned byHis Majesty.

“No, Christmas with Dad was the worst,” I corrected. Rain never bothered me, and I knew he was always trying to take care of me. Rain was always sacrificing for me. I knew that, but I also couldn’t help how I felt, and I was really fucking tired.

“Valid.”

“She still hasn’t texted me,” I commented, and Rain offered me a sympathetic look.

“She will. When we get back to Isles, I am sure she is being heavily monitored by her family.”

“Maybe . . .” Footsteps sounded outside my door.

“What the—” Rain all but screamed.

“Good, you both are in here,” my dad said as he opened the door and sat in the chair.

“Why is everyone in my room?” I asked. I didn’t need to have a business conversation with my father before noon, but here the fuck we were.

“It’s been a week, and both of you shits have been avoiding telling me what is going on with the Solis situation,” my dad began. I wanted so desperately to sink into the bed and not deal with this.

“We got it covered, Mr. Ortiz,” Rain said but was shut down by my father’s finger.

“From him.” He glanced at me, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“Damn, okay. Let me at least get out of bed.” I grabbed a T-shirt from the nightstand and threw it over my head, then tugged at my gray sweats to make sure I wasn’t about to expose anyone to my morning wood.

Sitting at the edge of the bed with Rain, I leaned back, propping myself up on my elbows.

“Okay, Father. What’s the issue?” I sneered.

“I need an update,” he demanded.

“Everything is going well with the Solis girl. She is right where I need her to be.” I tried to be as sly as I could because, honestly, my father didn’t need to know shit.

“I need her initiated so everyone knows you are together.”

“That’s the strange thing though. We haven’t heard shit from the Alphas.”

“I think we’ve been good at hiding it.” Rain stared at me, his brows furrowed.

“Yeah right,” he said with a chuckle.

I snapped back at him. “We have been. It’s the only fucking answer.”

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