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“The devil.” I nodded. “I’m fully aware.”
“You’ve hurt her. She’ll never forgive you for that.”
“I’ve already told her I’ll do everything in my power to repent. Including helping get you free.”
“Whatever. You won’t stop. You’ll keep hurting her because that’s who you are.”
“She knows who I am. I haven’t hid a damn thing from her. Unlike you—”
“Me? I’ve hid nothing.”
“Liar.” I squeezed my nape. “Keep telling yourself that. Doesn’t change the fact that we’re both in love with her. Only difference is, I had the guts to tell her. What’s the matter, Pete? Afraid she’ll tell you point blank that she doesn’t feel the same way?”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re not in love with her. You don’t know a damn thing about her. You’re just in love with the idea of her. You’re like a kid who has a toy for the first time and can’t share.”
“I just shared her with you, didn’t I? I let you hug her. Kiss her. Whisper whatever pet name you used in her ear.”
He smirked. “Jealous?”
“Of you?” I shrugged. “Nope. Actually, you know what? You want the truth? Fine. You’re the only man who has ever threatened me in that way, so yes. You made me jealous. But…” I smiled. “That was before I realised that she loved me back. Before I realised there is no way in hell she wasn’t born to be mine when every cell in my body belongs to her. So…” I stabbed him in the chest with my finger. “Be my guest. Love her without telling her. Believe in your little fantasies that one day she’ll be in your bed, not mine. I won’t stop you. I won’t even hate you for trying to steal her. I know Ily is mine and I know what it’s like to want something you can’t have. It hurts. It hurts so fucking much. So no, I don’t hate you anymore, Peter. I just pity you because I was you.”
He winced and rubbed at where I’d poked him.
Our verbal fight swirled around us.
I braced for more.
A myriad of emotions flashed over his face. Loathing, loss, pain. So, so much pain.
My heart twisted; I backed up a step.
Ah shit.
I hadn’t meant to do that.
For all my conviction, he still threatened me. Still made me worry that despite all the love I had for Ily, it might not be enough. He was the good guy. He was the hero to all the jewels in here. He deserved her. Not me. He was worthy. I wasn’t.
My issue with him went far deeper than just his ability to steal Ily from me. My issue was that I’d actually let him. If Ily one day admitted she’d made a mistake and loved him over me…I—
Fuck, I’d let her go.
I’d stalk the shit out of her to make sure she was safe but…I would let her be his because her happiness was far, far more important than mine, and in the outside world, Peter could make her far happier than I ever could. He’d be good to her. Kind to her. He wouldn’t crave her blood or dream of making her scream.
An image of Ily taking Peter home to meet her parents instead of me caught me around the back of the throat. He probably practiced the same faith. Spoke the same language. Had a good and pure heart.
He would be accepted. Acceptable.
But me? I would always have to hide the depth of what I was when face to face with the wonderful people Ily had descended from.
My chin tipped down.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
This was pointless.
I’d get the details from Ily.
Just run.
