“Leda, I—” Lucas started, sliding his arm away from me. “I’m so sorry.”
Puzzled, I tried to catch his eye, but all he did was open the door and climb out, leaving it open for me to follow. When I stepped out, it took me a moment to realize where I was and I pushed down the panic rising in my throat.
No. No.No!
He wouldn’t take me back here. He couldn’t.
Now it all made sense. The way he was acting, the final love declaration.
He broke my heart all over again.
And this time, there wouldn’t be any pieces left to put back together.
Chapter 57
Lucas
This was too fucking hard.
I clenched my jaw tightly, not wanting to look back at Leda now. I heard the gasp of recognition. She knew where we were, and all I really wanted to do was push her back into the car and drive off.
But as my fucking heart wanted to do one thing, my brain reminded me that this was the only choice I had.
I hated it. I hated myself.
I’m sorry, Leda. I’m so fucking sorry.
“Lucas?”
Turning, I found Leda staring at me, her face pale. “What are we doing here?” she whispered.
“Leda, I—” I started, not sure what to tell her.
How could I tell her that she was the most important thing in my life, but I had to give her up? How could I evenlookat her right now, knowing I was about to hand her off to another fucking Don?
My hand clenched in a fist. Leda was mine. But I couldn’t keep her right now. No matter how much I wanted to.
“Lucas, why are we here?” Leda’s head shook slightly. “Lucas, please. Why are we here?”
I could hear the unmistakable panic in her voice tugging at my heartstrings.
I closed the distance between us, fighting everything I had not to touch her. Because I knew that the moment I touched her, I wouldn’t be able to do what was necessary.
“Tell me this is some sick, twisted joke,” she continued. “Tell me that you are going to tell me to get back in the car, Lucas.
“Tell me that this isn’t happening!”
“I’m sorry,” I told her, every word a dagger stabbing into both our hearts. “I have to.”
Leda’s eyes widened, and she took a few steps back.
“No, please don’t do this. Whatever I did, I won’t do it again. Please don’t put me back there. Please!”
The terror in her voice was real, and I hated it. I couldn’t comfort her. Hell, I didn’t know what she was about to face out there or who would be the one to take her. I couldn’t tell her that this was tearing me in two, that I hated this more than anything else in the world. I didn’t want to give her up.
Some would call me a coward, and maybe I was.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”