Page 220 of Always: A Legacy Novel

It was bad for her health.

It was bad for them.

“No,” Cross said, “it’s your stuff. Clothes, and things. It’ll do you for a bit, until you can get someone here to grab the rest.”

Catherine stiffened. “What?”

“Where were you last night?”

She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Out. You were working late, so I went out.”

“With Andino,” Cross pressed.

“So?”

“To work,” he said.

Catherine blinked, and wetness edged along the line of her lashes. “So what if I did?”

“That was my line, Catherine, and you knew it. I asked for very little—I didn’t push you to go to see somebody to talk to. I didn’t say shit, even though you need it. I only asked that you stopped doing that because you needed to.”

“I don’t—”

“This isn’t a fight,” Cross interjected. “This is the end of a fight, Catty. I’m so done fighting because I can’t even win what I’m fighting for. It took me too long to realize it, though.”

She sniffled, and the first tears fell.

Cross reached out and stroked her cheek, taking away the tear line with his thumb. “Don’t cry, babe.”

“So what, you’re just … making me leave?”

“No, it’s more than that.”

“What, then?”

“I can’t keep saving you, Catherine. I can’t make you happy if you’re not happy with yourself. I need you stand up on your own—learn to own who you are. Grow up. I’m always going to be here, waiting, because I don’t know anything different. I only know you.”

“Cross, please don’t do this.”

The tears streaked more heavy lines down her cheeks.

Falling from clear eyes.

Sober eyes.

He got her to there.

She needed to do the rest.

“It’s always been you, you know?” he murmured. “You’ve always been the one breaking my fucking heart again and again, but I loved you through that shit. It’s my turn this time. It’s my choice this time. I love you today, Catherine, and when this is done and over with, I’m still going to love you tomorrow.”

He pressed the elevator button, and picked up her bag to hand it over. She sobbed; her fists tightened around the bag in her shaking hands.

“You need to start learning to save yourself, Catherine.”

“Cross.”

The elevator dinged, and the door opened. Catherine’s gaze darted to it. He kept watching her.