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It’s quickly approaching three in the morning, leaving me a little over two hours left on this green earth.
How did this come so fast? I was supposed to have more time to figure this out, more time to live, learn, and be free. God, what I wouldn’t give to be able to spend more time getting to know the boys, being able to spend long days and nights between the sheets with them, our bodies moving as one. I would get to know them on a deeper level, learn all about their lives growing up and who they dreamed of becoming. I wanted to spend a lifetime giving them all of my heart and receiving theirs in return. We could have been so happy. I’m sure there would have been a few things we’d have to work out, but we would have worked through it and figured out a way to live in harmony, even with Zade.
Despite having worked through the last knot in my hair at least ten minutes ago, Cara continues to brush through my long golden locks, both of us sitting in silence as I watch our reflections through the floor-to-ceiling window of the dining room, the night sky creating the perfect mirror.
“I know you don’t have any reason to trust me,” she murmurs, the brush pausing in my hair as she meets my gaze in our reflection. “But you have to know that I never wanted this for you. If there were some way I could change your fate and take back all the hurt I caused you, I would.”
“I know,” I tell her with a sad smile, trying hard to find the courage to face this straight on and not break. “These past few days have been a straight-up cluster-fuck, and I haven’t had a chance to tell you that I forgive you.”
Her eyes widen, and she sucks in a small gasp. “You do?”
I nod. “Don’t get me wrong, if I had time on my side, I would have drawn it out, made you really sweat it, but I don’t want to die tonight and leave things unsaid. Despite what you did and how you hurt me, I can’t accept that you would be left with regrets, always wondering how I felt. That’s no way to live your life, and I think you need to take me as an example of just how short life can really be. If this world isn’t doing it for you, then get out. Turn your back on Empire and find somewhere new. Find a man or four who are going to treat you like their queen and blow your mind every damn night because that’s what you deserve.”
“I—”
Cara cuts herself off as Zade appears in the reflection behind us, a long white gown resting in his hands. A heaviness rests in his eyes, and as I turn back to face him and really look into his eyes, I see just how broken he really is. “It’s time,” he says, reluctantly making his way toward me.
He clutches the dress as I get to my feet, my hands shaking. My eyes fill with tears as I take in the white gown and slowly creep toward him, fearing taking this step. He places the gown on the dining table before taking my arms and pulling me into him, his forehead resting against mine.
A moment passes between us, and I simply breathe him in, not ready to say goodbye. I feel myself beginning to break, and without another word, Zade reaches down and grasps the hem of my shirt before dragging it up over my head.
I silently weep as he tosses my shirt aside and takes the dress in his hands, bunching up the fabric and threading it over my head. The beautiful white silk flows down my body, falling into place as the hemline skims the expensive tiles. Zade turns me around, his fingers brushing over my waist before working the small buttons on the back.
When he’s done and the dress is firmly secured around me, he simply stands there, his fingers brushing my shoulder before lowering his lips and kissing me gently below my ear. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, knowing just how hard this is for me.
I wipe my eyes, my spilled tears already staining the flawless silk gown, and as I turn back to face him, I find Dalton leaning up against the kitchen counter, his hopeless, broken stare lingering on me. The despair in his eyes tears me apart, and I step out of Zade’s arms and go to him.
Dalton immediately pulls me into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around me, holding me so tenderly against him, one hand around my waist, the other fisted in my hair as though he’ll never let me go.
“I don’t know how to say goodbye to you,” he tells me, his lips pressing against my forehead as his voice breaks. “You’re the love of my life, Firefly, and I’ve failed you. I’ve let you down.”
