were no longer needed. He already knew how much she had been hurt. There was no need to say it out loud.
“I know I d-don’t have the right to ask you this, but...” Grant suddenly grasped both of her hands over the table, squeezing her fingers tightly between his. “Let’s leave, Fawn.” His voice became urgent. “Come back to me, and let’s start again. Let’s go back home.”
When she could only stare at him, he seemed to wilt, and his voice was desperate as he said, “I love you, Fawn.”
Ah. How she had treasured those words once. But it was completely different now. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But it’s too late.”
Grant whitened.
“The prince—-”
Without warning, Grant bolted away from the table, and for one moment, she could only look at his departing back, completely shocked. But then she saw him rush out of the restaurant and she finally managed to make her limbs work, running after him.
“Grant?” She came out of the restaurant and turning around, she found Grant next to the bushes lining up the restaurant’s façade, throwing up. “Oh my God, Grant! Are you okay?” She hurried to him, rubbing his back, unable to understand what was happening.
Five minutes had passed by the time Grant was able to straighten, and when she tried leading him back to the restaurant, he shook his head jerkily. “No. I d-don’t want to be around too many people.”
Seeing how real terror had darkened his gaze as he spoke, Fawn could only humor him, saying soothingly, “We won’t go back then. What about your car? Is that okay?”
At his nod, she led him to his car, and he followed her obediently, almost like a child rather than the full-grown man that he was. When they reached his car, Fawn’s concern grew when Grant’s shaking fingers had him clumsily dropping his keys.
“Let me?” She took the keys from him and got the car open, helping him inside before going around to get in the passenger seat. Inside, Grant remained still and white-faced, leaving it to her to turn on the engine and air-conditioning.
Minutes passed before Grant finally spoke. “I know about you and the prince.”
She jerked. “Grant—-”
He shook his head vehemently. “I d-don’t want to hear a thing. I d-deserve it.” He swallowed. “The p-prince said it’s nothing compared to h-how I betrayed you, and he w-was right.”
Unable to believe what she was hearing, she asked unevenly, “You spoke to the prince?”
Grant gave her a jerky nod. “H-he told me you would n-never have been with him if you h-hadn’t s-seen me—-”
Fawn bit her lip hard, Grant’s words forcing her to remember the day she had caught him cheating. And even though it was the prince who owned her now—-
It still hurt.
Betrayal would always hurt.
“I think she set you up,” she said dully. “The other girl...”
“S-she did.”
Silence.
“I s-still love you.” Despite his stuttering, Grant’s voice was fierce, his gaze focused on her completely.
“Grant—-”
“Please.” Grant took hold of her hand. “I n-need you.”
And she could see that he did, more so than he ever had—-
But it was too late.
“I’m sorry.”
“But he d-doesn’t love you.”
“Grant—-”
Taking a deep breath, Grant said tensely, “It’s true. I k-know you d-don’t have to believe me, but I’m n-not lying. He t-threatened me, Fawn. He told me n-not to h-hurt you, but he a-also told me n-not to tell you I k-know the two of y-you are l-lovers—-”
Fawn slapped him, and as Grant’s head snapped to the sight, she whispered shakily, “Stop lying.”
It took a long time for Grant to face her, but when he did, she was stunned to see tears running down his face.
“Y-you don’t know.” A crazed laugh escaping him, he said hoarsely, “You d-don’t know how t-terrified I am t-to s-say t-the truth. If you only knew—-”
“Then tell me!”
“I can’t.” Grant began beating his own chest hard with his fist. “I’m different. You k-know it. I k-know it. Everyone k-knows it.” His voice broke, and tears fell faster down his cheeks. “B-but I had to w-warn you. Because now I know I love you.”
A sob spilled past her lips. “Grant...it’s too late.”
His lips twisted. “E-even so. I n-needed to t-tell you. I o-owed it to you. And I d-don’t want you hurt.” He grabbed her hands. “So please l-listen. He d-doesn’t love you. Y-you’re like a f-fetish to him—-”
“Stop it, Grant—-”
He let her hands go, staring at her with leaden eyes. “I’m n-not lying. But I am sorry.” Grant’s head lowered. “I’m so d-damn sorry it c-came to