Book 3: Common Ground

Hollis

Through the darkness, Candace’s pale brow wrinkles. I clench my fists.

“Why?” she asks.

Hell of a question. One I have no idea how to answer.

“Eva gave you a chance to tell her everything. To make me look like the asshole.” I study her through the gap I sliced in the side of her tent. “Why didn’t you?”

She bites her lower lip and looks at the ground. Silvery moonlight casts her face in stark colors, but I can just barely make out some redness around her eyes. Was she… crying?

My mark screams.

“I didn’t want to hurt her,” Candace mumbles. “This way, I’m the only one hurt.”

The pain redoubles. That thing in my chest jumps like a guard dog who heard a strange noise. She really believes she’s the only one this is hurting.

Focus, Hollis. You came here for a reason.

And that reason is the look on her face when she glanced back as she left. It wasn’t hurt or humiliation or even the want I spotted for just a