Hades's accommodating tone made her chest tighten instead of easing it. His voice was gentle, sincere even, and when she looked into his violet eyes she could see that he meant what he was saying. That was what made it worse. She could not tell whether he was being honest now or simply choosing the words he believed would calm her. His expression always seemed sincere but had she mistook it?
"I think…" she whispered.
Slowly, carefully, she lifted her hands to the arm wrapped around her waist. Her fingers trembled slightly as she held his wrist and eased his hand away from her. The movement was not forceful. It was tender, almost apologetic. That tenderness hurt more than anger ever could.
She had never pulled away from him before.
From the faint shift in his expression, she knew he felt it too. Surprise flickered across his face, as if he had just realized something fragile had cracked between them.
"I think, for now… I don't have the courage to believe you."
