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Good! She's coming to her senses.
The room's other occupants slowly disperse until it's just the two of us. Kalim is the last to step out, and he shuts the door behind him.
"Pet—"
"Be quiet!" she orders.
I ball my fists, feeling like a kid in school who's in trouble with the teacher. Not one part of me likes the predicament I'm in, yet I don't know how to flip it.
Blakely steps forward and studies me for a moment. Then her face softens and she reaches up. Her warm palm cups my cheek, pummeling me with emotions.
I get a quick flashback of my mother doing the same thing to me. She had woken up after being beaten by the John who hit me so hard I flew across the wood floor. I was still sobbing and scared. She held me in her arms and kept her hand on my cheek for what felt like hours, trying to calm me down.
Blakely's voice tears me out of the flashback as she softly states, "We can't go on like this."
Alarm bells go off in every cell of my body. I open my mouth, but she puts her fingers over my lips.
She continues. "I love you. I do. And I want to believe that deep down, the love you claim to have for me is real."
"It is," I blurt out, not understanding how she could think otherwise.
She blinks hard. "If we stand any chance—"
"Don't say that," I scold.
She closes her eyes a moment, then slowly opens them. She begins again, "The only chance we have of surviving what we're going through is for you to learn to trust me."
"I do trust you. I trust you with my life," I declare, which is true. She's the only person who has my full faith.
Her lips turn into a sad smile. "But you really don't. You think you do, but you don't."
"That's not true.
"It is. If you did, you'd realize it doesn't matter what any other man tried. I'd never choose them over you. Even in this challenging position we're in, I'd never pick another over you," she claims.
I tug her into me. "I trust you. It's them I don't trust. And especially Noah."
She sighs. "If you trusted me, you wouldn't have to worry."
I scoff. "I know what sleazeballs like Noah do—"
"It doesn't matter! I'd never allow anything to happen!" she cries out.
I stay quiet, wishing she could see things how I do. Then again, a part of me wants to keep her naive about all the seedy things men will do to get a woman like her.
She adds, "I can't have you on Noah's ass all the time. He's my agent."
"He's overstepping," I claim.
"Then I'll handle it," she states.
"You shouldn't have to."
Her voice turns sterner. "Riggs, this is my career. I've worked tirelessly for years. You don't know what I've sacrificed to get here."
I tighten my arm around her. "I do. And I'm so proud of you and what you've done. You were amazing tonight."
She smiles. "Thank you. I know you are. But I can't have you and Noah at war all the time."
