I didn't go back.
Not to the statue. Not to the memorial. Definitely not to the shallow spectacle outside the estate, where pressed suits and tasteful black dresses mingled with meaningless condolences. My stomach ached just picturing Shade there, standing stiffly beside Brooke. The mate bond had pulsed wildly beneath my skin the moment I'd stepped within sight, but he'd ignored it. Ignored me. Completely.
Not once had he dared even a glance.
By the time I reached the guesthouse, my silk dress had plastered itself to my body like a second skin. I locked the door behind me. The gown peeled away, leaving a trail of fabric pooling lifelessly around my ankles. Shade's hoodie lay draped over the arm of the couch. Slipping it over my head felt like pulling him closer, an irony that made my wh
