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Darwin leans against the door.
Chapter12
Bittersweet Sympathy
“Lost, Princely?” I ask dully.
“Yes,” he answers. “Utterly. Did they expel you?”
“No, not yet.”
He sits down in the chair Dean Quinn occupied, directly across from me.
“Teddy, please talk to me. I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. Blame me. Gabe’s shattered. He’s been out of his mind with worry about you. It’s my fault—”
I shake my head to shut him the fuck up.
“As you can see, I’m in the middle of things here, Princely. Too much going on to deal with a pair of traitors right now.”
That raw, wounded look rises into his eyes. “Don’t do this.”
“I warned you. The one thing I wouldn’t forgive—”
“I know! I know, Teddy. I know you must hate me. I know you warned me. Just don’t blame Gabe. It was all me.”
“Did you glamor him?”
“No, I swear to you—”
“Then he made his own choice.”
Darwin sits back in the chair, his mouth hanging open. “I thought you loved him.”
“I do.”
That’s what hurts the worst. I love him and I’d have done anything for him. For any of them. Even Darwin. Realizing they don’t feel that way about me, about Charlie, that’s what’s carving out my insides with a dull spoon.
“Thenforgivehim. You can’t do this to someone you love.”
“What the fuck would you know about love, Princely?”
His mouth works. “I love people.”
Himself, primarily.
“Sure,” I say. I shift my eyes to the door, silentlybeggingLords to walk through it. “Anything else?”
“Come back to my room and talk to Gabe. Please, Teddy. I’ll beg if your pride requires it—”
My pride? Is that what he really thinks this is about, my pride? What a fucking arse-bag.
“Okay,” I say. “Beg.”
His mouth clamps shut and his jaw feathers.
“You can’t, can you, Princely? You couldn’t beg if Gabe’s life depended on it. You can’t even say you’re sorry. Fuck’s sake, Darwin, try. For once in your fucking life, make a fucking effort.I am sorry. Three little words. They’re not so hard. I’m sorry I drew so much magic through you I sent you fucking off through Time for eleven days. I’m sorry I stole Gabe back as soon as you were out of the picture. I’m sorry I was cuddled up in my posh-arse penthouse with Gabe while Charlie was crying all alone in your bed! I. Am. Fucking. Sorry!”
He pushes up out of the chair, with the fae’s usual grace. Not as affected as he’d like me to believe.
