~ ZEV ~
"Sasha—"
"Don't!" she whispered and turned for the dresser to pull more clothing out. "You broke me, Zev. You devastated me. My whole life is different because of you. You can't… you can't just walk back in now. I'm different. I grew up. I don't need you like I did back then."
He blinked and double-checked that she was still packing. Her face… she'd gone white, though there were high spots of color in her cheeks that made her look feverish. But he could smell her anger and grief. The words she was saying… they weren't an act. Not entirely, anyway.
He clenched his teeth and went back to his search. "You don't know what happened. I wasn't leaving you. I was saving you."
"Saving me?!" she gasped, then laughed humorlessly. "Is that what you told yourself? That disappearing, leaving me thinking you were hurt, or broken, or DEAD… you told yourself you did that for my good?"
"You don't understand—"
