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Des doesn’t bother looking over his shoulder, he’s still staring at me. “I’m sorry,” he says. “It was never supposed to happen like this. I should’ve waited. I’d intended to wait.”

“Des, what’s wrong?” I say, taking a step forward. My stomach is plummeting. I can already sense his regret.

He drags a shaky hand through his hair. “I have to go.”

“No,” I say, my skin dimming.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats. “I meant to give you more time. I never should have done this—any of it.”

Any of it?

He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying. Especially not when his wings are still out. They’ve been twitching, like they want to spread themselves.

“But youlikeme,” I say, not understanding what he’s rambling about, but hearing regret threaded throughout his voice.

“I’m a king, Callie. And you’re …”

Broken.

“Innocent.”

“I’m not innocent.” God, I’m not.

He stalks forward and cups my cheek. “You are. You are so painfully innocent in so many ways, and I’m a very, very bad man. You should stay away from me because I can’t seem to.”

Wait. “Stay away? But why?”

“I can’t just be your friend, Callie.”

I can’t just be yours, either.

“Then don’t,” I say, my voice hoarse.

“You don’t know what you’re asking,” he says, searching my face.

“I don’t care.” And I really don’t.

“But I do,” he says quietly. There’s a finality to his words.

I feel a tear drip out because I know what this is.

It’s a goodbye. And I don’t understand any of it.

His voice drops. “Don’tcry.”

“You don’t have to go,” I say. “Everything can go back to the way it was. We can just …pretendtonight never happened.” I practically choke the words out. I don’t want to pretend any of this away.

Des frowns. Still holding my chin, he pulls my face forward, kissing each of my tears.

When he pulls away, I see something in his eyes, something that makes me think the Bargainer’s feelings run deeper than I assumed. That only confuses me more.

“Just… give me some time.” Almost reluctantly he releases me, backing up.

“How long are you going to be gone?” I ask. In the last year I’d never gone more than a few days without seeing him.

His lips press together. “Long enough to figure out what I want and what you deserve.”

The way he says that causes panic to unfurl inside me. This is the end of something. I thought it was the beginning … but it’s not. It was foolish of me to be so optimistic.