Ant returns to my side, sinking onto the bench beside me. He’s still beaming, despite sighing like the most exhausted person alive.
“They seem really nice,” I say quietly.
He nods enthusiastically, watching with bright eyes while the moms wrangle their children. “I’m glad to have found someone I can call family.”
My treacherous heart does a somersault.
“I get it,” I say without meaning to. “My family are some of the most important people in my life.”
He turns to me and smiles, his hands folded in his lap. I fight the urge to reach over and squeeze one. He’s so sweet. What harm has he really done? Following me around like a lovesick puppy?
Crap. What is wrong with me?
I steel my emotions, smushing them back down deep where they belong. I am angry at him.
“We need to talk about you leaving Cryptech.” I try to school my features.
“Nothing to say.” His voice is firm, but his wings shift behind him, betraying his nervousness.
“You can’t do this, Ant. You can’t just drop your whole life—the thing you care most about—not because of me.”
“You’re wrong.” He shakes his head. “It’s not the thing I care most about. Not even close.”
I catch his eye and he looks away, toward his sister and her family. I bite my lip. “I’m not going to let you turn me into the bad guy in this situation.”
“Who said you were the bad guy?”
“I don’t want you wrecking your career, blaming me for things you didn’t do or opportunities that you lost.” I’m not letting a guy do that to me again.
“I don’t blame you for anything,” he says.
I don’t let his reasonable tone stop me. I had a whole car ride to prepare this speech. Even if it isn’t going the way I expected.
“If you left the company because of me then you shouldn’t have.” I feel my words failing. “If Cryptech only bought Penpoint because you were obsessed with me, then I want to break our contract.”
“Piper. No.” His voice is so quiet that I can barely hear him. “It had nothing to do with that. You’ve done incredible work”
I roll my eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me.” His voice is serious as he turns his full attention toward me, but he’s giving me that adorable smile that makes my stomach queasy. “We were already interested in your company. You were on our radar before I ever met you. You’ve done amazing work. We wanted to be a part of that,” Ant explains. “And then I met you, and I ruined everything. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Just couldn’t stop yourself from fucking me?” I snark, trying desperately to stay mad at him.
He shakes his head. “I thought I was giving you what you wanted. Even that night you said?—”
“I know what I said,” I snap, without any real malice in my voice. “I know what I said I wanted.”
“I thought it was everything I’d be able to give you,” he says tentatively. “I never imagined you’d want to be with me for more than one night. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was stupid. Following my natural instincts.”
“Your instincts are to be a creep?”I shove my glasses up my nose.
“Yes.” He sighs like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. “I just wanted to keep you safe. I’m sorry.”
“You can’t follow someone around like that without telling them. Humans don’t stalk the ones we love.”
“I know,” he says.
“You scared me.”
