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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

FROM THE HIGHEST of highs to the lowest of lows

Twenty-four hours had passed with no signs of sickness But as Torin had discovered a few days ago, he’d been wrong Ridding himself of the wards hadn’t helped Haddisease had struck Keeley, and struck hard She slept, unable to be roused, unable to eat or drink, dying for lack of nourishment until Hades came to check on her and returned with the best immortal doctors

Keeley was hooked to an IV and pumped full of medicines found only in other realms, but even still, her cheeks hollowed, her skin turned sallow and Torin

Torin lost all hope

He’d thought he’d figured everything out, thought he’d had the answer to happily ever after at long last But he’d just been fooling himself

Further, they couldn’t find Pandora’s box--he hadn’t forgotten the block Keeley encountered when she’d triedtwice--whichStar He was out of options

He and Keeley could continue on as before--his heart clenched--if she even survived this newest sickness They could continue having sex with their clothes on, not daring to kiss, every caresshad shifted, but that would not be enough Would never be enough again He’d had her All of her Nothing held back That’s what he wanted for the rest of eternity; that’s what he needed

What she needed Whether she would admit it or not

But neither of thefront row for her suffering, knowing he was the one to blame That if he’d only resisted, it wouldn’t have happened

He’d told hih such a hurt, but he’d just been fooling himself about that, too He had to leave her, and this time, he had to make her accept it Make theh He had to do so that couldn’t be undone So she would despise

He studied her, how still she was lying on the bed, taking in air only because of a machine The quiet hu himself, he squared his shoulders, lifted his chin He knehat he had to do

"WE NEED TO TALK," Torin said

The expression on his face caused Keeley’s sto, and wasn’t the lover of her dreams

She’d just recovered fro to shower and eat This should be a tiuess

"All right" She gulped "Talk" They were in their bedrooainst the door, his hand on the knob, as if the desire to leave was stronger than the one to stay

"We’re over," he said

Knew it!