My Italian Beast 2 Excerpt

Her eyes started to tear, and her gaze told him that she was beginning to look at him like he was a stranger---
Ah, Anneke.
He wanted to jerk her into his arms, wanted his fingers to bite into her skin as he whispered the fucking truth into her ears.
No, Anneke.
This is the real me.
And it was almost as if she heard him when Anneke suddenly choked out, “I don’t understand.”
His lips twisted. “You were never meant to.” And God help her, but he hoped she never did.
Walking past her, he saw Anneke fall to her knees, but he didn’t let it stop him.
She might think he had destroyed her, but she was wrong. She didn’t know how it was to be destroyed the way he did, and that was how it should be.
I’m sorry, Anneke.
Her pain was his strength.
I’m so goddamn sorry.
Marcus could feel her staring at him, still goddamn waiting, and it threatened his control.
For one moment he wanted to say to hell with everything---
To hell with what was right---
For one goddamn moment, he wanted to risk it all---
He heard her say again, “I don’t understand.”
Ah, God.
His eyes closed.
That’s how it should be, sweet Anneke. Because if you did understand, then you might choose to stay with me…and I can never have that.
And so Marcus kept walking away.