And I feel it. The moment our time is up. I’m losing her. And I can’t keep holding onto her in this cage. She needs to be free. It’s time for me to slay the dragon to save the princess. But this isn’t a fairytale. Once, I defeat the dragon, I won’t be walking away with the princess.
And so I walk out without a goodbye or a promise. I walk away, hoping I can free her. And hoping her secret won’t destroy her. I walk away without a goodbye, even though I know it is one.
26
KAI
ENZO LEAVES me naked and alone.
He leaves without a proper goodbye. Although, after what he did to my body, it felt like a goodbye.
It felt like death.
Enzo left me to keep his promise to me—the promise that no man will ever hurt me.
But he doesn’t know I made my own secret promise. I would never let him risk his life to save mine.
I couldn’t let him die saving me.
Enzo won’t understand. He thinks after how royally he fucked up that it’s his responsibility to protect me.
But I’m the one who is in love with him. He doesn’t love me. He will get over my absence. He will be able to move on with his life—eventually.
But if Enzo were to die, I wouldn’t live. My love is too much. And his death would end us both.
So I did the only thing I could to ensure one of us survived. To ensure Enzo survives long enough to keep the Black empire thriving. To bear an heir. To continue the legacy.
I didn’t betray Enzo before, and I didn’t now. But to Enzo, what I did will feel like the biggest betrayal of all.
But waiting now is the worst part. Now I have to put my trust in other people to keep Enzo safe. I know they will because they want what I have to offer. And I will do anything to keep Enzo safe.
Slowly, I get up and get dressed, putting my bikini and shorts back on as time moves too slowly.
I pace around the room, not really taking any of it in.
This isn’t my room, it never was, and never will be. It’s just a cage Enzo created to keep me locked in.
I try to focus on anything else, the gentle rocking of the boat, the humming of the air conditioning, or the warmth of the sun through the window. But it’s useless.
All I can feel is him.
He’s everywhere.
Inside me.
Around me.
Engulfing me in everything he is. And I want to revel in every drop of him. Because the beauty encompassing Enzo squashes all of the darkness.
But that beautiful floating feeling changes quickly.
I can’t describe the feeling.
But my gut clenches.
My heart stops.
My world ends.