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Her lip curled. Could she? Maybe her bitter attitude influenced Adriel’s decision to leave. “You honestly think I’m sweet?”

“Not all the time, but I definitely think you pretend to be tougher than you are. It’s a defense mechanism.”

“Maybe.”

He studied her for a long moment. “June, did you and Adriel have a fight?”

“Quite the opposite.”

“What does that mean?”

She met his stare.

Too many emotions came to the surface. It was impossible to pick even one. She felt so much in regard to Adriel, explaining it seemed impossible. She wished there was a way to diminish her feelings. Maybe then she’d have better luck managing them.

Adriel thought leaving would fix everything. But Juniper still loved her. She still planned toprotect her. It was just going to be way more complicated to do so now.

“I’m furious with her!”

He rubbed a hand down her back. “I’m sure she had her reasons for leaving.”

That lump in her throat grew until she could barely breathe around it. What ifshewas the reason? She’d been trying so hard to protect her, she smothered her, and now she ran away. “I’m Lenny fromOf Mice and Men.” The sob came out of nowhere, as did the tears. “Why do I complicate everything? I should have just run away with her like she wanted. It wasn’t a good plan, but at least we could have stayed together. Now, she’s all by herself out there. How is that safer?”

He cautiously patted her back. “Maybe she’ll come back.”

She shook her head and wiped her nose. “She’s not coming back.”

“Well, she can’t run forever. Don’t forget, I wasn’t on board with that plan either. You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“She knows that too. That’s why she…” Oh, God, it was all clear. She was sacrificing herself to end this. Panic welled inside of Juniper. A sense of impotent urgency made her heart ache as if a knife twisted into her back. “How could she choose this?”

“I don’t think she chose anything, June. I think she’s just trying to?—”

“Don’t you get it, Dane? She’ll run until he catches her. Then—” She choked on another sob. “Then she plans to… She plans….” Her words would not come out. She couldn’t say what she knew Adriel intended because then it would be real.

“What does she plan?”

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she shook her head. “This isn’t going to end well.”

When she didn’t say more, he frowned. Then he reached for the letter on the nightstand and opened it.

“Oh, shit.” The paper folded, and he gaped at her. “You love her? Like…that?” He shook his head and scoffed. “I see it now. The way you two looked at each other. How protective you were of her. Not wanting her to take anyone else’s vein. How long has this been going on?”

She sniffled and whipped her nose. “Not long. But it was the realest thing I’ve ever felt.” She looked up at him with tearful eyes. “I wanted to protect her.”

He reached for her hand, understanding reflecting in his gaze. “I get that.”

She wiped her nose. “And now I can’t.”

“That’s not true.”

“I don’t know where she is, Dane. And she doesn’t want to be found.”

“You don’t have to know where she is. You just have to find him before he finds her.”

Her tears stopped. He was right. Adriel might have run, but they could still proceed with their plan.

“She didn’t run because of anything you did,June. She ran because her entire life has left her powerless, and she’s afraid.”