Chapter 193 He Is Hurting the Woman He Loves

Chapter 193 He Is Hurting the Woman He Loves

Zane's POV

I waited at the villa until late into the night, until I finally heard that familiar voice: "Zane?"

Ember gently pushed open the door. She found me sitting on the floor, back against the wall, an empty bottle in my hand. More empty bottles were scattered around me, and the whole room reeked of alcohol.

"Zane?" Ember walked over and crouched down beside me. "What's wrong? Why did you drink so much?"

I slowly looked up at her, my eyes unfocused.

"Ember, you're here?" I grinned stupidly and reached out to pull her into a hug. I buried my face in the curve of her neck and nuzzled against her — and caught the scent of another man.

The tickling sensation on her neck made Ember pull back and give me a light push. "Zane, you're way too drunk. You're going to have a terrible headache tomorrow. Stay here — I'll go get you something to help with the hangover."

I mumbled in response, but when my eyes landed on her neck, my pupils shrank.

There was a deep red mark there. It hit me like a needle straight to the eye. I wasn't a kid. I knew exactly what it was.

I stared at Ember's neck, unable to look away. That mark looked even more glaring in the dim light. The empty bottle slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor.

My stare must have been too intense, because Ember noticed right away. She instinctively raised her hand to cover her neck, and a flash of panic and embarrassment crossed her face. She'd clearly tried to cover it with foundation in the car, but I'd still spotted it.

"Zane…" Ember looked away uncomfortably. "The floor's cold, and it's not that warm out — you'll catch a cold sitting there. Let me help you to the bed."

She reached out to help me up, but I grabbed her wrist before she could.

My grip was brutal. My fingers dug into her skin like I was trying to leave marks of my own. The warmth in my eyes was gone. What replaced it was something dark and wild, like an animal that had been pushed too far. I pointed at her neck, my voice coming out rough and raw: "Tell me. Who did that to you?"

Ember couldn't meet my eyes. She looked down and answered quietly, "It's nothing… just a mosquito bite."

"A mosquito bite?" I let out a short laugh — bitter and hollow. "Ember, do you think I'm an idiot? What kind of mosquito leaves hickeys like that? Or do you actually think I'm too stupid to tell the difference?"

My words hit her like a blade. The color drained from her face instantly. Her lips trembled, but nothing came out. She knew the excuse was pathetic. The marks were obvious. Anyone could see what they were.

"It was Asher, wasn't it?" My voice dropped colder. "You took so long to get here because you were sleeping with him. Weren't you?"

Ember bit her lip and said nothing.

That was all the answer I needed. My heart sank completely. I thought I at least meant something to her — but apparently, only barely. I'd given her so much. Done so much for her. And she still couldn't let go of Asher. Why did she keep going back to him? He'd hurt her before. How could she keep crawling back to someone who'd already broken her?

"Why?" My eyes burned red. "Ember, what does he have that I don't? Why can't you just let him go?"

"It's not like that, Zane…" Ember wanted to explain, but she didn't know where to start. What she had with Asher was too tangled — there was hate, there was resentment, but there was also something she couldn't cut loose. She couldn't even sort it out herself. How was she supposed to explain it to me?

"Not like what?" I got to my feet and yanked her toward the bed by her wrist. "Tell me. Not like what?"

My grip was too strong. She couldn't break free. I pulled her down onto the bed and pressed down over her.

"Zane! What are you doing?! Let go of me!" Ember's eyes went wide with fear. She struggled hard beneath me.

I pinned her shoulders down and stared at her, something unhinged in my eyes. "We're about to get engaged, aren't we? We're practically mates. Isn't this the most natural thing in the world?" I leaned down, going for her lips.

Ember turned her head sharply to the side, dodging me. Tears spilled down her face as she begged me, "Zane, don't do this. Please."

"Don't do this?" Something close to madness crept into my voice. "Then what do you want me to do? Watch you sleep with Asher and smile and wish you both well? I can't do that, Ember. I've liked you for years. I've waited for years. I told myself that if I was good enough to you, you'd eventually fall for me. But what about you? What am I to you? A backup plan? Or just someone you can use when it's convenient?"

"No! I never used you!" Ember cried. "Zane, I know how good you've been to me. I'm grateful, I really am. But you can't force feelings. I just need a little more time."

"Time?" I let out a short, cold laugh. "How much time? A year? Two? Your whole life? Ember, you don't need time. You're still in love with Asher. You just finished sleeping with him. You're still full of him. That's why you don't want me anywhere near you, isn't it?"

The words hit her like a blow. She wasn't ready to be with me — and it wasn't just because of Asher. It was because what she felt for me was gratitude and something like family, not love. But she couldn't say that out loud. She was afraid of how much it would hurt me.

"Zane, calm down." Ember took a slow breath and tried to steady herself. "We're about to get engaged. Can you give me just a little more time? Once we're married, I'll…"

"Enough!" I cut her off, my voice cracking with anger and pain. "Stop lying to me, Ember. I've heard enough."

I reached for her clothes.

"No!" Ember screamed and shoved me with everything she had. "Zane, let go of me! If you don't stop, I swear I'm done with you!"

I froze.

But looking at her — the way she was fighting me off — the jealousy burning in my chest only got worse. Why did Asher get to have her and I didn't? After everything I'd done for her. After all these years by her side. What did he have that I didn't?