Chapter 107: Mad
Riven blinked, unsure of what Ronan meant at first. Then it dawned on him—the awkward reality of where he was going to sleep. Heat crept up his neck, and he glanced at the door again. "For tonight... I’ll be sleeping in..."
Please, do not make me say it. It is already awkward enough!
Ronan’s jaw tightened, but he forced himself to nod. He already knew what the answer would be, but hearing it out loud still hurt. "In Soren’s room," he finished for him, his voice barely above a whisper.
Riven winced, wanting to reach out and reassure Ronan but not sure how to do so without making things worse. "I... I just think it’s fair," he said slowly. "I’ve been here since... well, since everything happened. And it’s only one more night. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you."
Ronan looked down at their joined hands, his fingers gripping just a bit tighter. "I understand," he said, forcing a small smile.
"I’m not angry. Just... Trying to wrap my head around all this. Knowing I’ll have you with me for a whole week—it should be enough to ease my nerves, but..." He trailed off, unsure how to put his emotions into words.
"I understand..." Riven nodded. He really just hoped to end this conversation. "The situation we are in... Is strange."
Not if you chose me... Ronan wanted to say that, but he could not. He had to suppress those feelings. This was his punishment... For abandoning his mate twice.
Ronan couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. "Neither did I. But... I’ll make it work. I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for everything I did wrong. Even if it means... Sharing." His last word came out strained, as if the very concept was alien to him.