Page 21 of Vow

She broke apart all over again.

Fuck him for that, too.

• • •

“You’re not going to say goodbye, then?” Andino asked.

Haven pulled on her jeans, and internally cursed herself for not getting up the second she heard his bathroom door click. Maybe it was fucking cowardly of her—oh, it most certainly was—but she figured slipping out of his place would be the easiest way to do this. Then, there would be no need for any awkward conversation.

Apparently, she hoped for too much.

Damn.

“Wasn’t last night enough?” Haven asked. “I kind of thought it was.”

Andino leaned against the doorway leading into the connected master bath. “I don’t follow.”

“Then, you’re clueless.”

“Don’t be mean, Haven.”

She let out a quiet laugh. “No, I suppose that’s meant for you, right? You’re the one between us who gets to make choices that hurts the other one. You’re the one who does cruel things. It’s entirely out of character for me to do something like that even if it is a reaction coming from my emotions. Yeah, I know. Don’t worry.”

He moved forward, but Haven put a hand out to stop him even as she zipped up her jeans with the other one. “Don’t bother.”

“You could have left last night.”

“Why not stay for a good fuck?” she shot back. “At least then I’m getting something from this. It’s done now. Count on that.”

“Haven—”

The anger she’d been holding at bay—just long enough for him to fuck her until she couldn’t think, and her body was a mindless blob of sensation—finally decided to come out to play. Last night had been too much, and all she wanted to do when they were done fucking was sleep off the overwhelming emotions and exhaustion.

She’d done that.

It was morning now, though.

She wasn’t so tired, but she was still pretty damn emotional.

“Why?” she asked him.

Andino folded his arms over his chest. “Why, what?”

“Why did you do that to me? Why tell me you love me, and then leave me like that? Do you know how deep that cut me? How much it fucking hurts in here?” She made a fist with her hand, and pressed it against her chest overtop her racing heart. “I’m not something for you to use and discard, Andino. I am not a toy. And you don’t get to treat me like one. So yeah, why. It’s the least you can do. If you actually love me, then you can give me a proper answer.”

He took a second, and then two.

“Except I can’t love you,” he finally said. Then, he corrected himself with, “Don’t love you.”

Haven straightened, and even through the stabbing pain making its way through her body, she hadn’t missed his first statement. He stared at her like he was made of ice—cold, and unfeeling. Not really there at all. Burning her from feet away.

Still, she’d heard it.

The way his voice dipped, and his words forced their way out. Like he had to make himself say those things, and not that he actually meant them at all.

I can’t love you.

She wanted to hate him.