He refused to lose a woman like her to someone like him. More than that he hadn't been there for her at home even if he was here. Part of him thought he'd kill the boy if he ever showed up here. He should. He'd have every right to given what Tyler had done. But he knew as well that that would be an end of it. She would never forgive his death, she'd forgive Carol Lockwoods, the Hybrids, Jenna, whoever else he'd killed that she loved, he was sure there were probably more. But not that.
"You're scared to admit you like being around me. Because you wonder what that makes you. All I've done, even to your precious Tyler, and you still enjoy my company."
Tyler had had a chance for greatness. He'd lost the curse of his blood, tied to the moon. He was stronger. As all the Hybrids had been. And that hadn't been enough for him. "He tried to kill me. More than once. He turned my Hybrids against me, and then when he realised he'd been betrayed by Hayley. He ran. He left you, he left everything. And yes, he was right to run. I will hunt him down and I will make him suffer for his crimes until he begs for death. But if he loved you, if he really truly loved you he'd never have taken the risk of incurring my wrath. He'd broken the Sire Bond, surely that would be enough. Even breaking the bonds of the others, I could have forgiven that in time. But he tried to take my life Caroline. I can't just forgive that."
He could tell her all was forgiven. That Tyler and her could live a happy life together. But that was unselfish. And he was more than happy to be selfish when it came to Tyler. He would never be good enough for Caroline. He would hold her back from the life she should have.
"Complicated comes with the teritory I'm afraid. Can't go blaming the Salvatores for all of it, though they do seem to have a knack for finding trouble. Or it finding them. And yes, I know you love Tyler. Believe me I'm more than aware of the fact. I can't change that. First love, I'm told there is nothing like it in the world. And I'm finding that to be true. But I also know that first loves are not always last loves."
He would be that for her. No matter how long it took.