Page 69 of Wicked Exile

“What about us?”

He leaned in, his face almost touching hers, his words a whisper. “You love me, Juliet, ye do.”

She winced and her eyes closed, her head shaking. His words cutting her to her core even if she was trying to deny it.

“Don’t go.” His voice shifted into a low rumble, words he never could have imagined a month ago spilling from his lips. “I love you and you made me want…more, Juliet. Want us. I will do whatever it takes for that.”

Her gloved hand lifted up to swipe at her cheeks, but she didn’t open her eyes to him. “I have to go, Evan.”

“No. No, ye don’t.” His hand lifted to cup her jawline. “Look at me, Juliet. We’re the same, you and I. We both have been moving through life, not knowing how we got this way. But us, together, it is the only thing I’ve ever dared to want in my life. Purpose that I’ve never had.”

Her head shook. “We are not the same.”

“Juliet—”

“We are not the same. I was willing to change.” She opened her eyes to him, revealing a gloss of tears reflecting in the moonlight. “You are not.”

He stared at her eyes, willing the tears to spill from her lids. Willing her to break. To fall into him. Totrusthim.

“I have to leave, now.”

“No—either you love me or you don’t.” His fingers slid down to tighten along her neck. “You leave and it’s a betrayal like no other.”

Her hand lifted, the soft of the leather on her fingers clutching the back of his hand. “I’m not betraying you.”

“You’re not trusting me—that’s a betrayal.” His head shook and his hand dropped away from her neck. “Make your choice.”

Her eyes closed as her face tightened in pain. “Don’t make me choose, Evan, please. Don’t.”

“No.” He took a step backward. “Make a choice, Juliet. You leave, you are gone. Never to come back here.”

Her lips parted as she took in a shaky breath. Her eyes opened to him, tears spilling out to roll down her cheeks. “Some things are more important than love.”

His hand whipped up, pointing to Ness and the horse. “You choose this?”

“I do.” She nodded. “If it means Ness’s life, then yes, I do.”

“Go.” The word spit out of his mouth and he turned away from her.

She didn’t move from her spot.

“Go.” His head whipped back to her, a snarl on his lips. “Ye made your choice.”

Her hand over her mouth, she spun and darted back to the horse.

Within a minute, he couldn’t even hear the clomp of the horse’s hooves on the trail.

Yet he stood, rooted to the spot. Waiting for her to come back.

To choose him.

To choose them.

She never did.

{ Chapter 27 }

“I heard what Evander said to you.” The golden hue of Ness’s right amber eye centered on Juliet. Even though her left eye was still swollen shut and the dark purple of the bruises had set monstrosities onto her face, the edges of Ness’s eyes managed to crinkle in pain through the inflamed skin as she shifted her left arm at her side.

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