ent felt s

om, her breath shallow as her eyes flick

en them felt li

r to run. To turn aroun

place and ne

.. her heart w

everything

ies. The betraya

s still burning with that intensity that h

t you. I know I've lied. And I'm sorry. But I never wanted to hurt

breath

oken, hit her harder tha

have to sa

wo different directions. On one side, she wanted

d finally see if there c

bt. Nothing but the fear that if she let her

if she had the str

red, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt. "Why d

er words, but he

ved in my world, Maya. I never wanted to drag you into it. You had no idea what you

on anything but him, but all her thoughts were

anted

ies, or the fact that he was a part

was

he looke

st reached out for her

led the room with a tens

presence also

ice soft but firm. "I can't just pretend everything is f

hair, clearly struggling with

w how to fix this, but I'll try.

n his voice mad

of her - the part that had been burned so many times befo

rrified of trusting someone w

r voice trembling with emotion. "But how can

ened as he stepped closer to her. "Because I love you, Maya

ightened at

oved

a blow to the gut, both

but after everything that h

hem stretched on, thi

nding at the edge of a cli

her to pull back,

that was still terrified of losing h

tru

feelings she could

ouldn't.

t

g his. "I need space to figure this out, Chase. I can't keep running fr

bout to argue, to reach

ure of longing and regret, as if he was tr

no right answe

time you need. But I won't stop fighting for you, Maya.

allowing the lu

can, Chase. I don't

stepped into the hallway, feeling both

chest, but she didn't know if it w

to the crisp night a

much she didn

ns she didn't h

at she was still drawn to him. Still caught i

eady to let

ready to trus

in the unfamiliar bed at a

ge from

aya. Don't make the mistake of tr

hilled her

athan

r pawn in a game sh