As he continued, Peri’s heart sank further and further into her stomach. The way he was avoiding eye contact, his voice. He wasn’t lying. Well, at least he wasn’t anymore.
“I—”
Her voice threatened to break. She was at a complete loss for words. There were a vast number of questions running through her head at that moment, each of them fighting to be the first off her tongue. She was honestly trying to decide whether she was more hurt or just angry. After a few minutes’ silence, her voice came out cold.
”So you’re telling me that it was part of your assignment to get close to me, then. That’s understandable, I suppose. I’ve not even told those I’m close to about my employment status, but I’d be more likely to tell a significant other. Tell me: was making me fall in love with you just part of the job too?”
Her cold tone broke him. He hadn't meant to get this close, he wasn't supposed to. He'd done this dozens of times— god knows how many girls he'd taken to bed to get information from. But Peri— she was different.
He actually loved her. That revelation did nothing to keep back the pain in his voice, the desperation for her to see he was only following orders.
"Peri—"
Ollie hated how broken he sounded. How unsteady. They'd always told him that having attachments would ruin him. They were right.
"I never meant— I never meant to hurt you, Peri, please realize that. I didn't want to lie to you anymore. I couldn't. Peri, please, I love you. I can explain everything, I can make this right. Let me make this right, please."








