“It wasn’t all a lie,” she whispered. “I need you to know that. The things I confided in you, the chess games we shared, the kisses, none of them were fake. They meant something to me.”
Tears streaked down her cheeks, and she did nothing to stop them.
The silence was back, and this time, it was louder than ever. There were no cameras, no one watching or listening, and no guards.
It was just… them.
Seconds bled into minutes.
The silence grew until the racing of her anxious heart was the only thing she could hear.
Then, just when she thought he had left, there came a sound like knuckles drumming on the other side of the door.
“I loved you, Brynleigh.” His baritone voice echoed with remnants of deep pain. “I gave you my heart in the Choosing. I bared my soul to you.”
There it was again. Fucking past tense.
She’d never hated it more than she did at that moment. It was nothing but a reminder of the things they’d shared.
She sniffled, not bothering to wipe away the tears. Not now, when they were finally talking.
It was easier with the door between them.
Easier because she didn’t have to see the hurt in his eyes. She didn’t have to look at that painfully beautiful face. She didn’t have to see that mouth that didn’t smile for her anymore.
“I know,” she murmured. “I love you.”
Falling in love with Ryker had nearly killed her, but she’d done it. She’d given him her heart, and even after the torture and his cold treatment, it still belonged to him.
What did that say about her?
A pained chuckle came from the other side of the door. Something thumped, and then he groaned.
“Of course,nowshe fucking says it. Give her time, I told myself. She’ll get there, just wait.”
The door rattled like he dropped his head against it.
She should’ve told him on their wedding night. She knew that, but she thought they would have more time.
Of all the fucking times to be wrong.
“Ryker—”
He snarled, and she clamped her mouth shut.
“The fucking problem is that whilesomeof what you told me was true,Ineverlied to you,” he said. “From our very first meeting, I spoke the truth. I gave you my heart, and you…”
His voice trailed off, and he didn’tfinish the sentence. He didn’t need to. His meaning was clear, and his unspoken words echoed as though he had screamed them.
You broke us.
You destroyed us.
You shattered everything we could have had.
You ended us.
More tears flowed down her cheeks, and she rested her head against the door. Who knew unspoken words could cause so much pain?