Hearing the heartbreak in her voice, Adrian Quincy was consumed by guilt. His own heart ached as if it would shatter, and a wave of regret so immense threatened to pull him into an abyss.
He blamed himself. He'd made the wrong decision, and it had hurt her.
For a moment, he was at a complete loss, terrified of losing her.
And so, he said nothing, simply holding her in silence.
Claire struggled, but she couldn't break free. Exasperated, she balled her hands into fists and began to beat on him. "Didn't you hear me? Let me go! Adrian Quincy, how long are you going to keep humiliating me?"
"Claire, I'm sorry." His only response was an apology. His arms remained wrapped around her, refusing to let go no matter how hard she struck him.
'If I let go now... I'll lose her, won't I?'
