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Iris got off Brody’s lap. “You’re being a dick.”

He stood as well, looking pissed off. “I’m the only one willing to tell her the truth. He got what he wanted then he fucked off, like the animal he is.”

I gripped the edge of the counter.

“Go,” Mom said. “And I don’t want to see you for a few days, Brody.”

“Mom!” Iris cried.

He muttered under his breath and stormed out.

“Your boyfriend’s a douchebag,” Mags fired at Iris. Bram grunted his agreement.

“He doesn’t think before he speaks sometimes, that’s all,” Iris said, watching after him.

“He’s never said it,” I said to the room, my heart racing.

Everyone stopped talking and turned to me.

“He never told me he loved me. He said he wasn’t capable of it.”

No one said anything.

“I know where he is,” I rasped.

Mom stood. “You know?”

“He’s in Hell with Lucifer.”

“How do you know that?” Mags said. “Did he text you?”

I shook my head. “It just took me a bit to figure out. But that’s where he is. I’m positive of it.”

Without the ability to feel love, there was nothing keeping him here with me. He understood loyalty more than anything else, and he’d said it himself, Lucifer eclipsed everything and everyone, and that included me.

He’d cared about me, I didn’t doubt that, and whatever this was, he hadn’t been given the chance to say goodbye, I believed that as well. Because the male I knew wouldn’t just leave without an explanation, but he still would have left.

He still would have left me.

Iris stood as well. “Wills…”

“I ah…I have some things to do.” I strode out to the front yard, around the side of the house, and away from everyone because I was about to hyperventilate.

I fucking knew this would happen, didn’t I? I knew letting myself fall for him was a fucking stupid thing to do, but I did it anyway. This was my own fault. I’d let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, if I loved him hard enough, fiercely enough, that he’d learn to love me back.

“Willow?”

I turned and Iris walked over to stand beside me. She said nothing, just pulled me into her arms, holding me against her tight. The roles were usually reversed, it was usually me being the strong one, the one doing the comforting. Now, I turned in her arms and let her hug me because this fucking hurt.

And I only had myself to blame.

Chapter 30

Willow

Ren wasn’t at his house. I didn’t really expect him to be.

I’m sure Sally and Calum checked the basement apartment every day as well, but I couldn’t stay away. I allowed myself to hope—the alternative was unacceptable. I couldn’t even think about him never coming back.