Page 132 of The Silent War
His silence hurt more than the truth.
I swallowed. “I’m engaged, Luca.”
He didn’t move. “No, you’re not.”
“I am.” The words shook—not from doubt, from the act of living them out loud. “It will be announced next week.”
His fingers tightened at my waist as if he could squeeze the sentence out of existence. “No.”
“This is all I can offer you,” I said, and the words nearly killed me. “A lifelong affair.”
He stared at me like I’d spoken another language. “You’re not marrying him.”
“If the Vale contract falls through,” I whispered, “there are two other families waiting. The shortlist is locked. Alexander signed off. I’m the paper between them.”
He pulled me back from his chest, “Tell me their names.”
“It doesn’t matter. They’re the same man in different suits.”
“Don’t do this,” he said, and the plea cracked out of him raw. “Trust me.”
“I did. And then you taught me how to live without answers.”
He flinched like I’d struck him.
“Tell me how we end up more than corners and locked doors,” I said. “Tell me how your grandfather allows it. How those four men at my table sign me over to you.” I swallowed. “Give me the plan, Luca.”
I asked again, desperate. Apart of me wanting to believe that this worked out differently.
He opened his mouth and said nothing.
“I can’t keep breaking you,” I said, my hand went to his face, and I wiped a tears away from his cheek. “And I won’t let you break me.”
“Angel—”
“I’m sorry.” I kissed his cheek, softly. “We shouldn’t have started this again.”
The words seemed to empty the room.
He searched my eyes like he could find a lifeline I hadn’t hidden well enough.
“Alaric Vale is one of three final candidates. I will end up married to him. Or to a man just like him.”
He shook his head once, twice. “No.”
“You’ll keep loving me in the dark,” I said, “and I’ll keeppretending it doesn’t hurt you and Bastion. We’ll all drown slower. That’s the only difference.”
“Don’t say goodbye.”
I pressed my forehead to his for one breath.
“I have to.” My voice barely carried. “Because I love you too much to let you keep doing this to yourself.”
His breath stuttered against my skin. “We can’t stay away.”
“You have to,” I said, pulling back, even as it tore me open. “Stay away from me, Luca. We’re over.”
I stepped back first. He let me go.
