Draven.
Rhovan rumbled faintly within me. "You gave her what she asked for. It was the only choice."
"I know," I answered. "But that doesn't mean I should let her drown in it."
The flicker of pain in Meredith's eyes tightened something in my chest. I had given her the truth, yes, but truth could cut as deep as lies.
I drew a slow breath and reached across the narrow space between us, taking her hand firmly in mine. Her fingers twitched at first, but she didn't pull away.
"I am sorry, Meredith," I said quietly. "Not for being honest, but for the way my choices in the past made you feel, for making you question whether you were ever just a pawn on my board. You deserved more than that."
Her gaze lifted to mine, guarded, but I didn't look away.
