Raisel - POV
I didn’t know how to respond to his confession. It wasn’t like the first time he opened up to me, raw and vulnerable. This time, I felt distant.
“That doesn’t give you the right to manipulate things, Soren,” I snapped, my voice cutting through the tense air like a blade. He sighed, but his calmness only made my anger burn hotter.
“I’m not the gentleman you think I am,” he said, his tone devoid of remorse. “You should’ve figured it out by now—I’ll go to any lengths to make you realize you care for me equally. From every part of your soul, the way I care for you.”
I glared at him, my body stiffening. His words bounced off me like rocks on steel. I already knew the truth—I wasn’t going to fall in love again. Not after Alaric. Not after the way I let love rip me apart. I had n
