I didn't notice it at first, not until everything was over.
With every scar I revealed, something in Ethan shifted. The darkness in his eyes deepened, layer by layer, until a faint trace of red appeared in them by the end.
I hadn't even finished processing it when Adrian's voice cut through, rough and unsteady.
"No, that's not it," he said, his eyes red, his expression shaken. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't think it would hurt you this badly..."
I didn't let him finish.
"It's not that you didn't mean it," I cut in coldly. "You did it on purpose. You just counted on one thing, that I loved you.
"That no matter what you did, I'd stay. That none of it would count as real harm."
I took a step forward, meeting his gaze head-on.
"Maybe you even liked it," I said quietly. "Th
