My bottom lip trembled, and my tears fell harder and faster.
“Don’t cry.” He wiped my tears with his thumbs. “Please don’t cry.” There was desperation in his tone.
“I can’t keep doing this,” I said through sobs. “I can’t keep hiding this from you, but… God, why does this have to be so hard?”
I hated how weak I was right now. There was no easy way to tell him, so I just had to say it.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, gently holding my face in his hands and kissing each of my closed eyelids. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”
His constant patience and understanding wasn’t helping. He was making it too easy not to speak.
I took a deep breath. “I’m the cure, Trent. I’m the key to breaking your curse.”
There, I said it, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. There was dead silence in the room, save for the pounding of my heart and the blood rushing in my ears.
Then, slowly, Trent pressed his lips to my forehead before caressing my cheeks. “Look at me, Chloe.”
I forced my eyes open, and I immediately wished I hadn’t. Trent’s eyes were a crisp blue, unlike anything I’d ever seen, piercing and sharp. His expression was blank, unreadable.
“You’re the cure?” he said, brow raised.
“Yes,” I whispered.
Every muscle in my body wanted to stay exactly where I was—pressed safely against his warm body—but I knew I couldn’t while having this conversation. I moved away and sat up, my back against the headboard.
“How?” Trent moved to sit beside me.
I recounted the story of how I’d found all the proof in a box of my father’s things, how I’d confronted him and he admitted to everything, and how I’d threatened him so he’d let me leave.
When I stopped talking, Trent moved again, this time to sit on the edge of the bed, his back to me. And then he just sat there. Not speaking. Not moving. Barely breathing.
“Please say something,” I said.
“And you’ve known about this for how long?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and lowering his head.
“Since the night of Simon’s party. The night I got all of my memories back.” That seemed like ages ago, but it hadn’t even been a full month.
“This is why the coven wants you.” Trent stood, an angry curse erupting as he did. “They know about you, don’t they? They want to make us change you so the curse will be broken and the magical balance can be restored.” He paced, rubbing the back of his neck. “You knew all of this?” He stopped to face me.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“This is the big secret you didn’t want to tell me?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Because you thought I’d find out and force you to change?” He tilted his head as if everything was just finally clicking into place in his mind.
“Yes,” I admitted, ashamed.
“Chloe.” The hurt in his tone nearly broke me. He kneeled on the bed and cradled the side of my face. “You have to know I’d never do that, right?”
“I know, but can you say the same for Sean? Or Jax? If they find out…” I moved away from his touch and scrambled out of bed. “This isn’t just about you and me, Trent. Breaking this curse affects them, too.”
More than he’d ever know. I crossed my arms against the shiver trying to wrack my body.
“I won’t let them do anything to you against your will.” He got off the bed and closed the distance between us. “When I said I’d protect you, I meant it. From anything and anyone.”
My arms fell to my sides. “They’re your family. You can’t choose me over them. I won’t let you.”
“How, exactly, will you stop me?” His eyes darkened with challenge.
“Stop,” I pleaded softly, caressing his cheek. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you, because it’s not simple or easy.” I dropped my hand from his face.
“Yes, it is. You don’t want to be a vampire. Sounds simple enough to me.”
“What if I’m not so sure anymore?” I sank down onto the edge of the mattress.
Trent whipped around. “What?”
“I’ve been thinking about this nonstop since I found out.” I picked at my cuticles, refusing to meet his gaze. “There are things I’ve always wanted to do. Maybe go to college. See the world. Fall in love. Get married. Have kids.” I smiled despite the fresh tears coursing down my face. “I always imagined having a little girl that I’d name after my mom. And a little boy I’d name after his daddy.”
“Chloe.” Trent dropped to his knees in front of me, his voice and expression utterly broken. “Do you have any idea how much it kills me knowing I can’t give you everything you want?”
Finally, I lifted my head and looked at him. I hated that I was hurting him like this. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“Don’t you dare apologize for any of this.” He rested his arms along either side of my legs, his hands clutching my hips, and he lowered his head to my lap. “It’s not your fault.”
“I know.” I aimlessly ran my fingers through his hair. “I’ve always dreamed of having the perfect storybook life—small house in the country, white-picket fence, two kids, maybe a dog, a husband who loves me more than anything else in the world. Don’t get me wrong. I still want all of that, but now when I think about it, I can’t imagine it with anyone but you.”
I drew in a shuddering breath. I’d never bared my soul like this before. It was freeing and terrifying all at the same time.
“I mean, does any of that other stuff really matter if it’s not with you?” I asked.
Trent lifted his head, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears. “What’re you saying, Chloe?”
I shrugged. “Breaking the curse means giving up some of those dreams, but it also means an eternity with
