is hair tousled from sleep, a look

happened? Ar

ainful echo of times she'd believ

s, now exposed as illusions, bro

iding the glass, his ey

ve," he muttered, more

d. What was love, really? Had s

been about what s

tarkly clear now: sta

and cold. There was no more room

urprisingly steady. "Brandon,

t, a demand for some sliver o

solidify the cold anger be

directness. Then, the charmin

rt. Why would you even ask

r luxurious condo. "Thi

elieved his own lies, or perhaps, he simpl

hurned wi

an she thought she loved, the man she ha

t, a cold, calcul

e, the disappointmen

weight. She had been utterl

noring the sting. "Good. I'm

emotion. "Because thin

and quiet. She saw a flicker of con

I'm going back to bed. Try not

g hand. He turned and walked back to

he bathroom, found the first-aid kit, and

dull counterpoint to t

but a new, hard strengt

stinct notification sound from his ph

away, in her own apartment, sharing t

rayal, right under her roof, fueled