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Izzy dipped her chin in agreement. “I’ve known blokes like Danton. They don’t lay claim to people easily. But when they do, they hold tight. He won’t relinquish his claim to you without a struggle unless you give him a solid reason to.”

Groaning, I rubbed a hand down my face. “I should have admitted that I’d grown far too comfortable with him. That would have made him back off. I just hadn’t wanted to put myself out there like that.”

Inaya’s brow furrowed. “You’re sure he hasn’t already picked up on it? You once said he’s good at reading you.”

He was, but … “If he’d picked up on it, he’d have been the one to walk away. Danton’s not the type to welcome someone forming an attachment to him. He’d want to cut the head off that snake right off the bat.” He’d probably have reared back in horror if I’d told him the truth. I hadn’t wanted to see that, so I’d kept my silence.

“You know,” began Izzy, “it’s possible that your attempt to cut him loose will actually light a fire under his arse and make him step up to the plate.”

I straightened, my brows dipping. “I didn’t walk away from Danton because I needed more from him than he’s willing to give. I don’t want a relationship.”

Izzy raised a finger. “Correction: You don’t want to drag a bloke into your father’s path or give the arsehole someone else whose safety he can threaten to control you. That’s not the same as wanting to be single.”

I pressed my lips shut.

“My personal opinion?” Inaya dropped her fork into her empty pot. “You don’t truly have an aversion to relationships at all. Nor do you like sticking to Vault arrangements, you just feel that it’s your best option. But it’s not ‘best’ if it means that you’re super lonely.”

I swallowed hard. Iwaslonely at times. I was also tired of merely being someone’s club-buddy. I wanted something that also existedoutsideof the Vault; something that had possibilities.

Ultimately, I wanted to belong to, and with, someone. I’d just become very good at convincing myself differently.

Briar bit her lower lip. “I’m going to say something you probably won’t like hearing. Truthfully, I don’t think you merely feel ‘a little attached’ to Danton. I think you care about him.That’swhy you struggled to walk away.”

Fuck these women for making me face shit that I did not want to face.

“I know you think he doesn’t care for you, but he didn’t seem keen on walking away either, did he?” Briar pointed out. “You tried shaking him off, but he wasn’t having any of it.”

“Because he doesn’t like that his business rival thinks to get between him and something he believes belongs to him. That’s all this is.”

“You don’t know that for certain,” said Briar. “Look, I know you’re used to not taking chances on guys because, well, why would you when Jorge will only drag them into his games? But Danton isn’t a guy who your father could use like that. Which means you couldhave something real with him. Something that Jorge couldn’t touch or spoil.”

Yes, and it would be freeing to be with someone who was so much a match for my father that not only could he take care of himself he could ensure that I no longer had to toe the line with Jorge. Danton not only fit that bill, he was someone I could see myself happy with. But I’d never once allowed myself to wish for something real with him because I’d known I’d never get it.

I shook my head. “Danton’s too emotionally solitary to be in a relationship. Plus, he didn’t deny it when I asserted that he didn’t care for me. He said I ‘have value’ to him. It might be better than nothing, but it’s also not enough.” I let my arms slip off the table. “Quick warning: If any of you are at the Vault later when Danton sees I haven’t turned up, he might approach you looking for answers.”

“I’m the only one of us who’ll be there,” said Izzy. “I’ll handle him if he comes at me. Or Cole will, whatever,” she added, referring to the world champion boxer who was also her boyfriend. “Be prepared for Danton to hunt you down later. I doubt it would be too hard for him to find out where you live.”

My lips thinned as I remembered what he’d told me the previous night. “He already knows. He apparently did a very extensive background search on me.”

Briar blinked. “Seriously?”

Sighing, I nodded. “I really should have expected it—Jorge does such searches on anyone who even hovers on the periphery of his life. But I suspect that a driving factor behind Danton’s nosiness was his need for control. Knowledge is power, after all. People like him and my father are all about power.”

“Speaking of Jorge,” began Briar, “is there no way you can get out of doing what he wants you to do?”

I grimaced. “Not without him taking it out on my mom.”

Briar sighed. “When are you going to do whatever it is he has in mind?”

“Later today at some point.” Though I’d be leaving for my parents’ house earlier than necessary as I hoped to visit a little with my mom … and maybe try to convince Teresa for the millionth time to leave Jorge.

He would never force her to stay. Nor would he come after her. On the one occasion she’d threatened to leave, he’d laughed and said,“Go right ahead. Send the divorce papers whenever you’re ready.” He’d then walked away, dismissing her.

But she’d stayed, even though she felt no love for him; even though he had no emotional hold over her. I didn’t judge it, I just didn’t understand it. I wanted so much for her to have a life free of abuse. I simply didn’t know how to help her reach for it.

“I really am sorry that things haven’t worked out for you and Danton,” said Briar. “Anytime you feel like talking about it, call me. Or Izzy or Inaya. We’re here for you. Don’t even try to tell us that you’ll be fine after a few days. You two were in an arrangement for months. It won’t be any easier for you to kick him out of your head than it was for you to walk away.”

Another sigh slipped out of me. “It will take some time to adjust to no longer having him in my life, even if he was never a true part of it,” I conceded. “If I need to talk to someone, I’ll call one of you for certain.”

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