Amara curled herself into a ball on the bed, her body shaking. It was a strange, sickening pain. Part of her felt a twisted pity seeing the once-proud Seb Creed reduced to a man scavenging fruit off the floor, but the larger part of her felt a cold, sharp knot of hatred.
She began to sob, not a quiet cry, but a broken, gasping sound.
Seb froze. He dropped the fruit, his face contorting in panic.
"No, no, no! Please don't cry, baby. Please... anything but that." He reached out as if to touch her, then pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned.
"If you don't want to see me, it's fine. I'll step out. Just... come out when you're ready. But don't cry. You're breaking my heart."
"Please stop this," Amara choked out. "I want to go home."
Seb stood at the doorway, his silhouette dark against the bright hallway. "We'll go," he whispered, his grip on the doorknob tightening.
"But not now. Not until you realize that I'm the only one who can truly love you."
