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When she woke up, it was to hear someone knocking on the door, and she stirred. Darkness hummed outside the window, and her sense of disorientation grew. How long had she been asleep?
Another knock drew her attention to the door.
“Miss Anneke, I have your meal prepared.”
She forced herself up on wobbly legs and opened the door a fraction.
The maid smiled at her hesitantly.
Anneke’s gaze darted behind the other girl, but she could see no one else, and her heart shriveled.
You’re thinking too much of yourself,Anneke thought painfully. Did you expect he’d come back groveling? And even if he did, was she so weak that she would forgive him just like that?
Taking the tray, she thanked the maid, locked the door again, and forced herself to eat. After, she closed her eyes, hoping she could once again seek refuge in sleep, but this time fate wasn’t as kind.
Instead, Anneke found herself crying, remembering, and then crying again.
Why, why, why, why?
None of it made sense, but the pain inside of her also told Anneke that the whys no longer mattered. All that should matter was that he had done it, and there was no going back.
When she woke up for the second time, it was to hear Jaak’s voice outside the room.
She opened the door, and her brother said quietly, “Let’s go, Annie.”
Jaak’s eyes closed as his sister threw herself into his arms. He couldn’t remember the last time Anneke had done this, couldn’t remember ever seeing her in this much pain—-
God.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Anneke was an angel.
Anneke did no wrong.
So why the fuck did life let her hurt like this?
He felt her fingers clutch his shirt tightly.I hurt.
His eyes stung, and he said hoarsely, “I’m sorry, baby girl.” His arms tightened around her. “But we’re here for you now.”
****
MARCUS WAS WAITINGat the end of the stairs when Jaak came down, his arm around his sister’s. His friend’s face was hard, but Marcus didn’t give a damn. He only had eyes for Anneke, and she looked too damn pale.
Dio.
What he would do to be the one to comfort her, to be with her, toloveher.
As they started to walk past him, Marcus heard himself say, “I suppose you hate me now.” He said the words because he needed to hear her say it was so, said the words because he was laughably, pitifully, goddamn weak—-
So fucking weak that if Anneke didn’t say that she hated him, he would forget all about being selfless. If Anneke didn’t say that she hated him, he would fall on his knees and to hell with doing the right thing.
He would beg her. Kiss her feet. Do anything for her.
If Anneke didn’t hate him—-
But Jaak wasn’t letting his sister speak. Glaring murderously at his friend, Jaak turned to Anneke, saying harshly, “You don’t have to answer him.” But when his baby girl shook her head tiredly at him, he knew he had to let her face her own demons.
