Rowan shook his head, pressing his palm harder against the wall. “You gave up everything and I didn’t stop it. I didn’t take the risk. I should’ve taken it for you.”

“And if you had, I would’ve lost you.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

She didn’t argue. There was nothing to argue. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he never had. But she didn’t care. “Then make me human for something,” she whispered, her breath warm against the back of his neck.

His head dropped closer to the cold hard wall as a sound left his throat, almost like a sob but not quite, something ragged and full of something hurt.

He turned...