“Why?” he demanded rawly.
“I j-just—”
“He’s cheating on you, dammit!”
“I k-know.”
Lyrius couldn’t believe what he had just heard...but the way she was looking at him now told him he hadn’t imagined anything.
“You...know,” he repeated hollowly. “You know he’s cheating on you and yet you’re still choosing to stay...because you’re in love with him still. Is that it?”
Kyara could only cry.
“I’m s-sorry.”
Because her boss...wasn’t even trying to hide anything now.
“Why can’t you choose me?” he demanded tautly. “Choose me, and I’ll—”
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed out. “I’m so, so sorry but I can’t choose you.”
Choose me, Kyara.
Choose me and I’ll handle the rest.
Choose me and you’ll never have to be afraid again.
She didn’t know what the rest of his sentence had been going to be, and she struck out every version her brain tried to supply because every version was the version that would have undone her.
The way he was staring at her now, like she had stabbed him over and over—
“I’m so, so sorry.”
And then she was pushing past him and running away because she had no choice.
If she’d stayed another second, she would have surrendered. She would have been a coward and chosen her heart over saving him.
I’m so, so sorry.
Her heart broke to pieces as she dashed into the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, she crumpled to the floor, sobbing her heart out. All she could see in her mind was the look on his face when she’d told him she couldn’t choose him.
He really believed she was choosing Cyrus over him.
And she had no choice but to let him think that.
Because she loved him.
Chapter 13
SLEEP ELUDED LYRIUSthe entire night.
All he could see was her crying face as she rejected him—the wet lashes, the shake of her head, her hands pressed against his chest like she was trying to push something heavier than him.
I can’t.
I’m so, so sorry but I can’t choose you.
Because apparently, no matter what he did, she was still choosing the boy over him. He’d begged her. He’d as good as told her he loved her. He’d told her Wallace was cheating on her, and she’d saidI know, and she’d still chosen the boy...over him.
