Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
He finally turns around, and his dark eyes meet mine. There’s an intensity in his stare that thrills me and scares me at the same time.
“Harley,” he begins slowly, his voice steady but laced with a sadness that twists my insides. “You’re only sixteen. You don’t understand what you’re feeling.”
My eyes widen, stinging in response to the simplicity of his dismissal. “But I do, Hadrian. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I’ve thought about this for months.” I hate that I feel so vulnerable.
He shakes his head, his expression a mixture of guilt and regret. “You’re too young. What you feel now…it’s not—”
“Don’t say it’s not real,” I interrupt, standing up and closing the distance between us. “I know what I feel. It’s not just some silly schoolgirl crush.”
“Harley,” he says softly, placing his hands on my shoulders and gently pushing me backwards so I’m an arm’s length away. “You need to forget about me. There’s no future for us. Not now. Not ever.”
My eyes fill with tears, and I search his face for any sign of wavering. “But why, Hadrian?”
He sighs heavily, his grip on my shoulders tightening briefly before he lets go. “It’s wrong. You’re a minor. I’m an adult. And it’s not just about us. Your father has laws that would mean we’d have to runaway to be together. If we were to… it would ruin your life, Harley.”
“I’ll be seventeen soon. And I don’t care about his laws,” I shout, my voice breaking. “I care about you. I care about us.”
“I know you might not believe this right now, but I care about you too much to let you ruin your life for me,” he replies, his voice firm but tender. “You deserve so much more than a relationship that would always be tainted by secrecy and fear. You deserve to experience life, and the sacrifices you would have to make for us to be together would be a burden I don’t want you to carry.”
Tears are streaming down my cheeks now, and I can’t stop them. “So, you don’t feel anything for me. Is that what you’re telling me?” There’s a hint of anger in my words as embarrassment takes hold of me.
Hadrian closes his eyes, a pained expression crossing his face. When he opens them again, they are filled with an aching sorrow. “I never said that. But my feelings don’t matter. What matters is doing the right thing.”
“Who decides what’s right and wrong?” I rasp, frustration and heartbreak tainting my voice. “Why can’t we just…?”
“Harley, listen to me,” he says, interrupting me gently. “Hades and I are heading down to London.”
“Oh.”
The disappointment on my face must be clear. I already know Hadrian and his brother have told my father they’re leaving. It’s the reason I wanted to speak to him. I needed to know if there was any chance my feelings were reciprocated. I hoped to persuade him I’m worth staying around for. But it seems, all I’ll ever have of Hadrian is this moment.
I can’t bear to think about him walking out and never coming back. London is so far from here and very different from the place I’ve grown up in. I’ve often begged my father to let me go visit there, but it’s never been an option. He has too many enemies in the south.
Hadrian takes a step closer and cups my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away my tears. “You are amazing, Harley. You are smart, beautiful, and so full of life. But you’re still growing, still discovering who you are. I would never forgive myself if I took that away from you.”
I lean into his touch, closing my eyes so I can capture this moment. It’s going to be the one memory of Hadrian I’ll keep forever.
“But it hurts so much,” I whisper. “It feels like my heart is breaking.”
“I know,” he replies softly, his voice choked with emotion. “It hurts me, too. More than you can imagine. But sometimes loving someone means letting them go.”
I open my eyes, meeting his gaze, and I no longer care that I must seem desperate to him right now. I don’t care that he only sees me as a silly little girl.
I start to beg, “Please, Hadrian. Don’t do this. Don’t go.”
He releases me and steps back, shaking his head. “I have to. You’ll see, Magpie, one day you’ll thank me. When you’re older, you’ll understand why it has to be this way.”
I watch him for a long, painful moment before I shake my head, “I’ll never understand,” I reply quietly. “And I’ll never forget you.” My voice cracks, and I feel a sense of loss that engulfs my entire being.
Hadrian’s expression softens, and he looks as if he wants to reach out to me again, but he holds himself back. “And I’ll never forget you, Harley. But this is goodbye.”