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“You don’t understand?” Was she serious?
She sent him a wide-eyed stare. “Why are you so upset?”
“Because of you.” At last, he recalled his bag was in the closet. He retrieved it and threw it on the bed. “You’re reckless. You think you’re invincible. And you don’t listen to anyone.”
“If this is about earlier, I’m sorry. I was just doing what I thought was best—”
“Best for you. Not best for anyone who cares about you. If that man had shot you...” No, he wasn’t going there. He couldn’t think about going through that agonizing pain again.
He went to the chest of drawers and retrieved a handful of clothes. The sooner he packed, the sooner he’d be on his way to the airport.
“Grayson, what are you doing?”
“I’m packing. I’m leaving here. I should have left a long time ago.”
“But...but what about us?”
He didn’t stop moving—he couldn’t. He stuffed his clothes haphazardly in the bag. As soon as he was out of here—away from Mirraccino—he’d be able to breathe. The worry, it would cease.
“Grayson?”
He kept packing. In the long run, she’d be better off without him. “There is no us. I can’t—I won’t—continue this relationship. You take too many needless chances. I can’t be a part of your life.”
“Seriously?” Anger threaded through her voice. “I did what I had to do. And you know it.”
“I know you took a chance with your life—with both of our lives. And it wasn’t necessary. The police could have handled it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he spied her pressing her hands to her hips. He didn’t dare look at her face. He couldn’t stand to see the pain that would be reflected in her eyes—pain he’d put there.
“Don’t you understand? The police never would have gotten to the truth. Without it my family would never heal.”
Part of him knew she believed the words she uttered. Her entire family was separated with no true hope of coming back together. This discovery would give them a chance to start over.
But he also knew that taking risks and breaking rules was what had cost Abbi her life. He couldn’t stick around and wait for Annabelle to take another risk. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing her just like he’d lost Abbi.
“Grayson, are you even listening to me?” Annabelle moved to the other side of the bed, trying to gain his attention. “Are you leaving because you never really cared about me?”
It was in that moment he realized he was leaving for the exact opposite reason.
He loved Annabelle.
Normally that revelation would bring someone joy and delight, but it made his blood run cold. He’d cared deeply about Abbi, but he’d never loved her like this.
But with Annabelle, he was head over heels in love. The acknowledgment scared him silly. It didn’t matter what she promised, she now had the power to destroy him—to rip his heart to shreds.
“I...I can’t do this, Annabelle. I’m sorry.” He zipped his bag closed, grabbed his computer case from where he kept it on the desk and headed for the door.
He paused in the doorway. Unable to face her, he kept his back to her. “I know you won’t believe this, but I did care. I do care. You’re just too reckless. I thought we had a chance but I was wrong. I’m glad you found the truth, but now I have to go.”
There was a sniffle behind him, but he couldn’t help her now. The best thing he could do for both of them was to start walking and keep going. Because the one thing he’d learned in life was that people let you down, sometimes without even meaning to.
This was for the best.
But it sure didn’t feel like it. Not at all.
With each step the ache in his heart increased.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
