Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 45

Claire just glanced my way, her eyes locked on my back. She didn’t say anything. In the darkness, she stood perfectly still, hands buried in her pockets, watching me. No one could tell what was going through her mind, if her hands in those pockets were warm or icy cold.

The cemetery was pitch black, the rain quietly tapping around us. Time slowed to a crawl. Everything felt both silent and strangely loud, making her even more on edge. Still, she refused to let anything show, not even when she hugged her jacket tighter around herself to fight off the chill.

If she was going to atone, she was going to feel every consequence of her betrayal.

Eventually, I moved. I’d hit my head, and the pain cut through the numbness. I struggled to sit up, still facing away from her, pressing a handkerchief to my bleeding forehead.

Claire finally let out a breath. “What’s your problem?” she said, probably to Laird. “He’s fine, isn’t he? He’s not that weak. If he was, he wouldn’t have the nerve to come ask me for money.”

She snorted. “He survived worse with those debt collectors. He’s stubborn enough to outlast anything. There’s nothing to worry about.”

She stood there a bit longer, but after another shiver ran through her, she finally turned to leave.

Laird glanced in my direction. “Should we ask him to go home? He’s been out in the rain forever. From the way he looks, I don’t think he can last much longer.”

Claire didn’t answer. She just opened her umbrella and walked off without looking back. Laird shot me one last look, but he knew nothing he said would change her mind, so he followed.

She really didn’t think I could hold out. She figured I’d give up eventually, once the pain and cold got to be too much.

But I didn’t.

My legs went numb. My whole body turned ice cold, until I couldn’t feel anything at all. Every part of me ached, tingled, or froze. Still, I held on.

What kept me going were the memories. All those beautiful moments we’d shared, I clung to them with everything I had.

I was honestly surprised she called. I thought maybe she’d finally changed her mind. Instead, she just told me to quit.

But for Darleen, quitting wasn’t even an option.

“Thanks, Claire. Just make sure you have the money ready.”

My phone battery died after that, so I shoved it back in my pocket.

My mind drifted back to the past. We first met at the freshman welcome party. All it took was one look and we were drawn to each other. Ours wasn’t some crazy, dramatic love story. It was quiet, gentle, and deep. We understood each other, always tried to put the other first. We had the same dreams and pushed each other to chase them.

Looking back now, those times feel even sweeter than they did back then. But now, they also seem a little ridiculous. What I once gave everything to protect, I was now fighting to reclaim with whatever I had left.