Cassian
This was getting dangerous. I needed to calm her down before she started digging too deep and discovered Azalea.
“Chiara,” I called, my voice gentle as I tried my best to sound hurt by her words. “You’re hurting me by saying this.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, guilt immediately replacing her anger. “But you caused this.”
I let a single tear slide down my cheek—a trick I’d perfected years ago.
“Oh!” Chiara gasped and rushed to me, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have blamed you or suspected you. This is all my fault.”
Her whole body was shaking. “I was so scared,” she said, her voice trembling. “I didn’t know what to think. But I know now that I was wrong.”
“No,” I whispered, my breath warm against her ear. “I shouldn’t have ignored you and made you think
