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NYLAH

The words are nails driving straight into my heart, making it pulse and beat out of time. I can feel the blood pooling in my chest as I try to hold myself together.

Clenching my jaw, I pull in a few quick breaths and tell him in no uncertain terms, “That’s a bit of bullshit right there. We’re not over.”

“Yes, we are,” he hisses. “I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“Bullshit!” I bite back.

“I’m not good for you.”

I punch a finger into my chest. “That’s up to me to decide.”

“No, we’re over.” He stands tall, looking annoyingly determined to see this through.

“No, we’re not!” I shout back, walking across the room and shoving his chest. “You love me, you asshole. You love me!”

He remains unmoved by my tiny fists pounding on his chest. Clenching his jaw, he takes each blow, looking away from me and gritting out, “Just walk away.”

“No!” I shove him again, tears starting to burn and bubble as I take in his unmoving expression. “Please,” I whimper. “Don’t do this. We’re not over, okay? We love each other.”

“I hurt you,” he mumbles.

“And I forgive you.” I step into his space, holding his cheeks and trying to make him look at me.

He turns to marble—an unrelenting statue, resisting my touch until I have to let him go with a desperate little cry.

My anger is evaporating, replaced with this weeping panic that’s sweeping through me and making my heart bleed out that much faster.

“Please, don’t do this,” I beg him.

“Get away from me.” His voice is shaking, his tone cold and icy.

“Carson, look at me.” I try one more time to reach for him, but he bats my hands away. “Please look at me.”

He shakes his head, turning his face away. “Just go.”

“No, Carson. Stop this. Please, just look at me.”

“Go away.”

“Please.”

“Get away from me!” His voice tears through the room like a thunderclap, and I flinch at his sudden ferocity. “I don’t want you here! Get. Away. From. Me!”

Stumbling back, I rest a trembling hand across my chest, struggling to breathe as I stare across the room at this wrecked man.

My caveman.

Who won’t let me reach him right now.

I want to stay.

I want to see this through.

But my gut is telling me that it will only make it worse.

He’s feral, and I need to go.

Just go.

I can’t leave him!

Go, Nylah. Just go.

Pressing the back of my hand against my mouth, I fight the sobs shaking my belly and turn for the door. Tears spill down my cheeks as I wrench it open, and I’m seriously not sure how I’ll ever get them to stop.