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Grave was silent, his teeth clenched like he didn’t know what to do.
“Grave?”
“I’ll think about it.”
If I were going to get back into the business, I wanted to be paid like a queen. I wanted to afford all the nice things I desired. “You know…you were right.”
Grave studied me with those brown eyes, unsure of my meaning.
“You said I would regret choosing him over you. And you were right.” Couldn’t believe I was saying these things, but I was at rock bottom. “We had a nice life. You wanted to marry me and have a family. I didn’t love you, but that didn’t seem to bother you.”
He continued his stare.
“He didn’t give a shit about me, but you did. If I could go back in time, I would do things differently.”
“You wanted to leave, and I refused to let you go. I kept your mother’s necklace as leverage. In Italy, I almost forced myself on you. You’re only saying these things because you’re depressed, just as Cauldron said those things last night. I know you don’t mean them.”
“But I do mean them…”
He looked away.
“What if I took Elise’s spot?”
He slowly turned back to me, his eyes wide.
“You said it’s not serious, so—”
“I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.”
Normally, my body would turn cold at his tone, but now, I didn’t feel anything at all.
“I told you there was no going back. You made your bed—now lie in it. Cauldron is my brother again, and I’m not going to risk that relationship just so you can get back at him. I wouldn’t drop Elise anyway, especially for you.”
His palm didn’t strike my face, but it sure felt like it.
“I know Cauldron didn’t mean what he said. And I know he’ll come to his senses eventually.”
I’d cried when I’d heard everything he said, cried like it was the first night all over again. Once my eyes ran dry, I didn’t cry again, and I vowed I never would. Cauldron had drained my spirit, had crushed my soul until there was nothing left but tiny pieces. “I’m not waiting around for that. He made his bed—now he can lie in it.”
* * *
“Where are you taking me?”
Grave pulled up to the curb and parked the car. “I’ll show you.”
We left the car and entered one of the buildings. There was an empty post outside, the kind that usually had a for sale sign. He withdrew a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the blue front door.
“Grave…”
He stepped inside the empty entryway, the hardwood floors shiny after a deep cleaning. There was an open room for a sitting area and a large kitchen on the left. The stairs must lead to bedrooms on the next landing. I recognized the apartment from the pictures listed online.
“Grave.”
He raised the keys to eye level before he placed them in my palm.
“You didnotbuy this for me.”
He only stared.
