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Idon’tbelieve him. I can’t. Not now. So as he moves toward me, reaching for me, I do something I never do when it comes to him.
I move away.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I hiss, my heart shattering with every word. “I need you to leave,” I whisper hoarsely, my voice breaking.
Mal shakes his head. “I’m not doing that.”
“Leave.” I hiss. “Get out.”
“I’m not fucking leaving until I can explain,” Mal growls, his voice tense.
“There’s nothingtoexplain,” I whisper, my voice hollow. “You’ve said enough.Doneenough.”
Mal’s jaw clenches, still standing there, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath, his hand still outstretched. His eyes, once so cold and unreadable, are filled with something raw now—something desperate.
“Freya, I love you.”
I break completely. I start sobbing, unable to stop. My entire world wrenches sideways as I flounder and stagger back from him.
“Leave—”
“There’s not a chance inhell,” he growls firmly, “that I’m walking out?—”
“If you don’t,” I whisper. “I will.”
The room goes silent.
We both see the daylight streaming in from outside through the UV-blocking windows. He knows the threat I just made.
“Freya…” Mal says quietly. “Just?—”
“Neon.”
Everything goes still and quiet.
“Neon,” I choke out again in a whisper.
My lip quivers. Tears bead in the corners of my eyes as they lock with Mal’s.
And then, without another word, he turns and walks out.
The door shuts quietly behind him, leaving me to collapse in tears, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
40
FREYA
For the last three days,I’ve been hiding, hoping that if I avoid the world long enough, it’ll forget I exist.Malcertainly has. He’s disappeared: no messages, no calls, nothing—like he melted into the ether after our blow-up, leaving nothing but empty space where he used to be.
Even if it hurts, I know that was what I had to do.
Cut ties. Walk away. Forget.
I’ve done it a million times before for a million different reasons. Why should this time be any different?
Because the times before didn’t involve leaving the man you might just love.
I grit my teeth, refusing to allow that thought any purchase in my head. Iwill notthink that word about someone who could stab me in the back like that. Who would carve their way into my heart as a means to an end.
