Page 8 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

“Princess.”

His new nickname for me. Shit. It tore at me, but I had to stay focused.

“Just answer me one thing.”

“Okay…”

“Are you mine?”

“What?”

“I’m yours, but are you mine?”

Silence. Seconds ticked by. They felt like hours, but it could’ve only been a minute.

“Who else’s would I be?”

It wasn’t exactly a yes, but it was more than I’d expected him to say.

“How am I supposed to know?”

“I told you, I never lied to you about how I feel. There is no one else. There has never been anyone else. I don’t have relationships. I rarely even sleep with the same woman twice. You want honesty? I can’t get enough of you. Every part of you. You are the only person I’ve ever wanted full stop. I know I’ve fucked things up between us. You have no idea how sorry I am. Please, let me come get you. I need you. I need you here. You belong with me. You said you’re still mine. You said…”

I said I love him. His confession made my soul split in two.

“I’m not coming back tonight.”

“Do you really… What you said when you left, is that how you feel about me?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”

I didn’t regret telling him I loved him. It was something I couldn’t hold back any longer. I’d never been in love before. It was the only thing that made any sense in this fucked up situation. My heart belonged to Aiden and I knew on some level his belonged to me.

“Are you ever going to come back?”

“I don’t know. I won’t do what you need so how can I?”

“I don’t fucking care about that. I can’t live without you. Every fucking moment since you left has been agony. I know I’ve hurt you so much, but please, don’t say this is over.”

Was it over? My heart said no. I could hear the anguish in his voice. He’d suffered just as much as me. And right now, I couldn’t hate him anymore. I was upset and angry, but that didn’t change how much I cared. How much it broke me because he was hurting too.

“You know it’ll never be over,” I whispered. “I love you.”

I hung up. The phone dropped onto the carpet and I buried my face in my knees.

Idiotic, naïve girl.How could you give him hope you’d return?

Because I knew I’d go back to him.

Because the stupid girl I was loved the broken, fucked up man who’d destroyed her world.

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