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Dominic pulls his phone closer. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and quickly dab at my cheek with a tissue so I don’t melt my mask.
“Did something happen?”
I shake my head again.
“Val.” His voice softens. “Talk to me.”
More tears drip from my eyes, but I don’t speak.
I try to blink through it, wanting to just hang up but knowing that won’t make anything better.
Dominic’s screen shifts as he starts walking. I can’t see much of the background, but it looks like a warehouse.
His screen goes dark as he walks into a new room, then Dom flips a light on, and his image comes back to life.
I can hear him shut a door before he turns and leans against it.
“Shorty. Tell me what’s going on.” A command this time.
And I can’t help myself.
“I miss you.” The sentence is cracked with emotion.
The side of his mouth pulls up. “I’ll be home in a few days.”
I shake my head as I admit, “I miss theyoufrom before.”
The side of his mouth lowers. “What do you mean?”
“I want it to be like it was, Dom. I want—I want to feel special again. Like I did before. Like I did when I believed you wanted me.” I press my palm against my chest. “Justme. Not the stupid Alliance.”
“Angel.”
“Just let me say it,” I plead.
Dom slowly nods. “Okay.”
I look down, away from the phone. “Those weeks after we met, when we were messaging… They were special to me. And I want to keep them, the memory of them. But it feels like they’ve been poisoned. Because every time I’m reminded about one of our conversations, I feel… I feel so fucking stupid.” My breath hitches, and I give up on being careful and wipe away more tears. “Because each time, I was talking to someone I thought might fall in love with me. Someone I thought was so interested in me that he needed to hear from me every day.” I inhale deeply. “You would always tell me to make your day better. And each time you did that, you made me feel useful. Needed.” Another slow breath. “But when I sent you that picture of me wearing this face mask on Halloween, I was flirting. Or trying to. And all the while, you were sitting at home, stringing me along, so that someday you could trick me into marrying you.” I finally raise my eyes back up to look at him. “And it hurts, Dominic. It hurts a lot.”
“Val.” His tone is so soft. “I’m…” He won’t say he’s sorry.
I save both of us from the silence that would surely follow. “The worst part is that I believe you.” My shoulders sag. “You told me that you never lied about yourself in our conversations. And I believe you. But it was still fake. It was all just an illusion. And I’m having a hard time putting the two versions of you together in my head.” The tears I thought were done drip from my lashes again. “And I hate myself for wanting to accept it. Because you don’t deserve for me to accept it. But I deserve to be happy.” I breathe and say it again. “I deserve to be happy.”
Dom’s blue eyes are locked on mine. Filled with… something.
“So.” I sniffle. “I’m going to go wash my face, and then I’m going to finish watching this movie in bed. And I’m going to keep feeling sorry for myself until I fall asleep.”
“What movie are you watching?” He almost whispers the question.
“The Fugitive,” I whisper back.
“Valentine.” His throat moves on a swallow. “I can make you happy.”
I bite into my bottom lip. But I don’t want to hear any more promises.
“Goodnight, Dom.”
