CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CRUZ’S POV.

I push the door open to see her sitting there, her hands wrapped around her legs, with her face lying in between them. It was the same spot I had left her in a day ago.

Would it be funny to say I had forgotten her existence until the Elders made mention of her absence, and I remembered that I had a show to keep up with?

Well, I was standing in front of the door, holding the door apart. I watched her lift her head slowly to look my way. Her eyes were swollen, puffy, and all red. It looked like she had been crying for hours. She flinched on seeing me and staggered backward as though I might decide to slam her across the wall again.

Well, would I?

I doubted.

Looking at her face, I felt my heart squeeze a little from my guilt. I stepped closer to her, taking my step one after another while she backed away as though she was trying to escape me. I leaned forward and cupped her chin to stare deep into her eyes.

“Have you been crying?” I asked and watched her jerk my hand off.