"I know," he said, watching Adam with large, clear eyes. "You can forgive me when you're ready. If you're ever ready. But you should hear it. You deserve at least that much. Don't think about saying you have until you mean it."

Forgiveness wasn't something he really expected; Ronan was an honest creature, even to himself. Maybe one day Adam would really forgive him—anything sooner, and Ronan probably wouldn't even believe it. Even so, he was... all right with that. Adam shouldn't forgive him until he was every inch ready to—doing so was a comfort only to Ronan, and Ronan wasn't the one who needed it. The fact that Adam didn't hate him was blessing enough.

"Okay?"