Page 12 of Capricorn

“He was there for me.”

My words stop him short, incredulity widening his dark eyes. “And I haven’t been there for you?”

“You have.”

“But?”

Gnawing on my bottom lip, I blink back tears. “You micromanage, and it’s suffocating. You won’t let me be.”

“Because when I leave you alone for any length of time, you revert to a state of stupidity!” He drags a hand through his hair. “There’s grieving, and then there’s this. It needs to stop.”

“Well it’s my heart that’s bleeding, so stop trying to dictate how I should grieve.”

“What do you want me to do?” He spreads his arms. “Let you wither away? You’ve barely eaten in days, you won’t shower or dress unless I force your hand, and now you’re drunk from three fucking glasses of wine.”

“It wasn’t just the wine,” I mutter without thinking.

All color bleeds from his complexion. “Tell me you didn’t take drugs.”

“What? No! I only drank.”

“Of course you did. Anything to fuel the self-destruction, right?”

I glare at him. “Why do you even care?”

“Are you serious?” He takes me by the shoulders, jolting my body as if he can force some sense into me. “I care about you, and in case you’ve forgotten, Sebastian’s father will be the first to string you up in the dungeon. All he needs is a goddamn reason!” His words explode between us, illuminating the seriousness of my actions. “But maybe that’s what you want. Maybe you’re trying to punish yourself for Sebastian’s death.”

“Don’t,” I warn through gritted teeth. I shrug him off, but he crowds in anyway, undeterred.

“That’s why you’re destroying yourself, isn’t it? You’re hogging all the blame.”

I shake my head, but for every inch I put between us, he closes the gap, refusing to let me retreat.

“There’s plenty to go around, Novalee. I could’ve sent him home and gone after Ivermann myself. God knows I wanted to make that bastard pay for what he did to you.”

Emotion grips him mid-spill, eyes haunted with guilt and hindsight.

“I should’ve stayed, but I didn’t. I should’ve been selfless, but I wasn’t. I didn’t want to leave your side then, and guess what? I sure as hell don’t want to now. But watching you fall apart like this…”

He looks to the ceiling, as if searching for a prayer.

“I’d trade places with Sebastian in a heartbeat if it meant seeing you whole again.”

“Don’t say that,” I whisper, fraying around the edges.

Liam stomps right over my plea. “Why not? It’s the truth. I’d do anything for you, so if you need someone to blame, then blame me.”

“I blame my stupid virginity!”

Liam gapes at me. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because it’s the reason Axel targeted me.” Angrily, I dash the tears from my cheeks. “The thing that you want so badly has brought me nothing but heartache, so take it, because I don’t want it.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I’m saying I want you to fuck me.” At my bitter demand, his shock intensifies.

“You’re a wreck, not to mention drunk.”

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