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“No! Because someone once made me believe I was strong enough to never give up. Remember?”

Takeshi flinched as her words seemed to transport him back to their grueling training sessions in Braderhelm. Back when he was just a guard, and she was his prisoner. Nothing about their fractured relationship had ever been simple.

Sometimes she caught him staring at her like she was perfectly imperfect the way she was. Like he wouldn’t changeadamn thing. But other days, he glared at her like she was his worst enemy and greatest regret.

Deep down, she knew she needed to let go.

But Khalani neededanswers.

Closure.

So she could give up, too.

“Just tell me why you hate me so much.” She balled her fists, nearly losing the tight hold on her tears. “Then I’ll leave you alone forever.”

“You think I hate you?” Takeshi’s voice dropped dangerously low as he lifted his head.

“I know you do.”

A strange madness flickered in his expression and he stepped even closer, invading her space as if it belonged to him.

“You don’t knowanything. Do you want to know what I hate, Kanes? I hate losing control. I hate obsessing over something I’ll never have. You know what else I hate? This fucking conversation. You know that I’m no good for you, yet you keep coming back because you like people who hurt you.”

“That’s…that’s not true.”

“Yes, it is. From the day we met, you wanted to be close to death. Here we are on the surface, and you still want the absolute worst things in life.”

Thunder rumbled ominously above them.

Her chest heaved, his words piercing her soul like shards of broken glass, but Khalani lifted her chin, refusing to back away.

“Do you think so little of yourself that you believe you’re the worst thing for me?”

Takeshi’s muscles froze. He licked the drops of rain across his lips, staring down at her like a man trying to prevent himself from being carved open.

“I know I am, Kanes. I rose to the ranks of Captain because I was ruthless—a good soldier willing to tear anyone apart. I didn’t care about anything but locking up prisoners in Braderhelm. That was my duty. All I had. But then you came along and…” He scoffed, shaking his head, as if it didn’t matter anymore.

“I tried to convince myself I wasn’t a monster. That I only hurt people when it was necessary, but we both know that’s a lie. Maybe I could’ve stopped the Warden from killing thoseprisoners, but I didn’t even try. All I cared about was making sureyounever died.”

Her muscles instinctively tensed for the hurt she knew was coming. But Khalani needed to hear the truth, no matter how raw or painful.

She’d rather suffer out loud than suffer in silence.

“You were right about me, Kanes. I am a murderer, and I’ve accepted that. When that bastard touched you the other day, I wanted to do more than just break his arm,” he seethed. “I wanted to rip him apart, burn him alive, and make his friends eat the ashes. And it would’ve made my fucking day.That’swho you’re dealing with. So, for once in your life, do what’s right for you and fucking walk away.”

Raindrops dripped from his thick lashes as if the Earth wept in his stead.

Their heavy breaths mingled as the sky fell apart around them. She absorbed his words, letting their meaning course through her.

But when she peered into the dark depths of his gaze, she didn’t see evil or malice. She saw another storm. A man baring his soul to the world, preparing for everyone to abandon him because that’s all he’d ever known.

Maybe she should’ve walked away.

Maybe seeing the good in him would lead to her downfall.

But Khalani stepped closer, the rain a forgotten whisper against her skin.

“Don’t I get a say in what’s best for me?” she whispered.