His question, so late in coming, stirred a flicker of something within me. Anger, perhaps, but mostly a profound disappointment. Was he truly this oblivious, or did he simply not care about my feelings? Yet, I realized with strange clarity that it no longer mattered. The anger had dissipated, leaving behind nothing but coldness.
"I’m not angry," I said, more to myself than to him. Anger was a luxury I could no longer afford.
In a tone tinged with apology, Roan reached out through our mind link. "Lori, it's not easy for Tracy to raise a child alone. She doesn’t know anyone else here. She only has me."
His words struck me like a slap. He seemed to forget that I, too, only had him. Of course, he didn't care.
"I understand already, okay? She must have been through a lot," I replied, striving for calmness.
However, upon hearing my sarcasm, my mate's response was immediate and defensive. "Lori, what’s that supposed to mean? What's with your attitude?"
"I said I already understand," I repeated, my voice now edged with a growing bitterness. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Do you have to talk to me like that?" he snapped, frustration creeping into his voice.