Dan
"I'm not… "
"You are." My voice was shaking now. "You're using everything to justify kicking me out because you're scared. Scared of feeling something real. Scared of being happy for five fucking minutes without waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"I'm trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" He laughed again, ugly. "You want to protect me by breaking my heart? Real heroic, Dan. Real fucking noble."
I rubbed my face hard. "I like you. Too much. Way too much. And that's exactly why I have to do this. Because if I keep you here, if I keep letting this happen, I'll destroy you. I'll ruin the case. I'll ruin your chance at justice. I'll ruin us."
He stared at me. Tears spilling over now, not even trying to hide them. "You already did."
"Sky…. "
"No." He wiped his face rough with his sleeve.. my sleeve. "Don't even say my name anymore. Not after this."
I stepped forward. He stepped back.
"Don't touch me."
I stopped. Hands out like I was approaching something wild. "I have to send you to a safe place. Tomorrow. Separate detail. It's already in motion."
He laughed. "Wow. You really planned this out. While I was sitting here waiting like a fucking idiot, texting you, worrying, you were setting up my eviction."
"It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it like?" Yelling now. "Tell me! Because from where I'm standing you fucked me, knotted me, told me you loved me, gave me jewelry like some promise, and now you're tossing me out because your work buddies reminded you that feelings are scary and omegas are probably all spies anyway. This is exactly why I don't like to stop doing what I do!"
"That's not… Wait what do you mean? "
"Isn't it?" He shoved at my chest. Not hard. Just enough to make me step back. "Be honest for once. Was this just sex to you? Did you just want to fuck the scared little omega, get your knot wet, play house for a weekend, and then kick him to the curb when it got complicated?"
"No." Voice hoarse. "God, no."
"Then why?" Screaming now. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I love you!" I yelled back. "Because I love you so fucking much it hurts and I know how this ends! I know what happens when I let someone in this deep! My ex almost destroyed me and I almost destroyed everything else and I won't do that to you! I won't let you become another casualty because I can't keep my shit together!"
He went still. Stared at me. Tears streaming. "You love me."
"Yes."
"And you're sending me away."
"Yes."
He laughed again… "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"Sky… "
"Stop saying my name." He yanked the necklace off chain snapping and threw it at my chest. It bounced off, clattered to the floor. "Keep it. Or throw it away. I don't care."
I bent to pick it up. Fingers shaking. "Don't do this."
"You're doing it." He grabbed his phone off the couch, shoved it in his pocket. "You want me gone? Fine. I'm gone."
"Sky, wait… "
He spun on me. "What? You want me to beg? Stay? Cry more? Fuck you, Dan. Fuck you for making me believe this was real."
"It was real."
"Was." He laughed, bitter. "Past tense. Perfect."
He walked to the door. Grabbed his shoes… still damp from earlier.. jammed his feet in without tying them.
I followed. "At least let me drive you somewhere safe tonight."
"I'll find my own safe." Hand on the knob. "Don't worry. I won't ruin your precious discretion."
"Sky… "
He yanked the door open. Rain poured in again. Cold air slapped us both.
He looked back once. Eyes red, face wrecked. "I trusted you. I really fucking trusted you."
Then he left.
The door slammed so hard the frame rattled.
I stood there. Staring at the closed door. Necklace still in my hand. Chain broken.
Then my knees gave out.
I slid down the door, back against it, legs folding under me. Sat on the floor like a kid who'd just been told the world was ending.
And I broke.
Sobs came fast… loud and choking. My whole body was shaking. Forehead to my knees. Hands in my hair pulling hard enough to hurt. Tears soaking my shirt, snot everywhere, couldn't breathe right.
Because he was gone.
Because I'd made him go.
Because I'd looked him in the eye and told him I loved him while I ripped us apart.
I cried until my throat felt shredded, until my eyes swelled shut, until the sobs turned to these pathetic wheezing hiccups that echoed in the empty apartment.
Sat there for hours.
Rain was pounding outside.
His hoodie still on the couch where he'd left it.
The necklace in my fist, broken chain cutting into my palm.
And all I could think was how I'd finally found something real.
And I'd just thrown it away to keep it safe.
What a fucking hero.