"It wasn’t your idea to get married."
"I… What?"
"The night we flew to Vegas. It was mine. When Penny told me what the lawyer said I put your drunk ass in my plane and took you to Vegas."
"Why would you—"
"You know I fell in love with you the second I saw you."
"What does that have to do with this, Jack? You lied to me. Manipulated me so—"
"You got everything you needed. Everything you wanted."
"I don't need you to do that. I can take care of myself. Of Penny."
"Fuck, Lys, I know that. I didn't do it because I thought I had to, or you expected it. I did it—do it—because Iwantto spoil you. I want you to have everything and anything you could possibly want or need because I love it when you're happy, when you don't have anything to stress about, when there's nothing to stop you from sleeping easy or anything that makes you work until you drop from exhaustion."
"Jack."
He held up a hand. "I get it. I get why you want to do things yourself. I understand where the need to do that comes from. I respect that. But you have to give me the same respect. Nothing I've done has been to control you or have you owe me or anything like that. I don't expect anything from you. Not even your heart."
"Jack."
"No. Hear me out. I love you. Iwilllove you for the rest of my life. Nothing willeverchange that. But I have to go back to Vegas. I have to work there, full time, for at least the next five years and I want you to come with me. If you can't, or won't, I'll respect that choice. Your independence is one of the things I love about you most. But I won't give you up. Us. I won't giveusup. I'll fly here every weekend and every other chance I get. I'll fly you down to visit too."
"You can't—"
"I can. Didn't you know? I'm a billionaire! I can do pretty much anything, get anything I damn well want."
"Except hand over Townsend to Maryn."
His shoulders slumped. "Yeah, except that."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I can't come with you. Penny's had too much upheaval. She's settled here, has friends, likes her school—"
"She hasn't even been here six months and the thing that settles her isyou.You'reher anchor. That girl wouldn't give a shit if you told her you were moving to Antarctica, she would go becauseyouwere going."
"I can't make her—"
"Then we'll ask her."
"No. I'm not putting that on her."
Dammit. Her chin had lifted in the stubborn tilt he loved and hated. He needed another way… "You already agreed she could work at Townsend over the summer, right." His mind spun with possibilities.
"I did. She still can. I won't go back on that."
"Come with her. Take a leave of absence and come with her. Spend the summer in Vegas. Decide if you want to move before Penny goes back to school."
"Jack."
He could see the denial in her eyes. He wasn't going to win this argument. Not now. Maybe not ever. Every instinct in him was screaming. The thought of leaving her, them, had his gut cramping, his chest aching.
"I can't go."
