She was right. He didn't believe it. She'd actually died in front of him and he hadn't been able to stop it. If Adrian hadn't been there...the thought actually made him shudder. If that wasn't letting her down, what was?
He looked at her as he spoke, the ache of his heart turning painful as he listened. He let her grab his hand and squeezed hers back, but the past tense she used told him that whatever happened was over. He shouldn't hope for it. He should go back to what he had told himself again and again, that loving her from afar was the best that he could ever do.
"I won't hurt you again," he whispered. "And I'm so sorry that I did."