This was the most direct response she'd ever gotten out of him. The way he marched right up to her, she held her breath, he was far too close for her to think clearly, but everything that spilled out after washed over her in slow realization.

What he was saying was what she thought she wanted to hear; to hear that he cared about her, that he regretted what he did, that he was sorry. Yet she wasn't sure it was having the impact she wanted. It should have given her some relief and perhaps there was a little, but something wasn't sitting right. She could feel the pit of unease sitting in her stomach, like she was missing something that he wasn't telling her.

He had plenty of reasons not to care that weren't specific to her? That set her a little on edge, even as he tipped her face up to look at him, she had no idea what in the  name of Merlin's beard he could mean by that. With her eyes concentrated on his, she searched for something, any kind of clue as to what was preventing her from taking his words at face value.

"I have never, ever been treated like that in my entire life." Her tone was even, quiet, as calm as she could muster without letting her voice catch. "Nobody has ever brought me to tears the way you have." She could feel them prickling at the corners of her eyes now. However she hadn't said that to make him feel guilty, she said it to let him know just how much his words and actions had stung. There was  a depth to this she didn't think either one of them was prepared for and that was what was holding her back.