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Billie’s bleached eyebrows shoot up. “You two are dating?”
Before either of us can answer, someone else shouts, “If you don’t want her, I’ll take her!”
“Yeah! Is she single?”
“Can I get your number, sexy?”
The audience is shouting and heckling Belle. It’s the end of the interview and this is how this show works. Stevie and Billie are allowing it and eyeing us for a response. I chance a look at Belle and see a subtle shake in the hand she has resting on the arm of the couch. She’s terrified. And why wouldn’t she be? She has men shouting at her and trying to claim her like predators.
Fuck. She going to hate me for this.
“Yes. We’re dating,” I say, stepping off the stool and pulling Belle up off the couch. I put my arm around herwaist and pull her into me. “Stay away from my girl,” I say to the audience, trying to make it seem like I’m joking. “Thank you for your time.” I shake Bille and Stevie’s hands, then wave at the audience before leading Belle off the sound stage.
“What the fuck was that?” she hisses the minute the producers remove our mics.
“I was just trying to stop them from heckling you,” I say, lifting my hands in surrender.
“You just announced on live tv that you’re dating me the day after I got a note threatening my life if I was with someone else!” she whisper-shouts at me.
“What note?” I ask. I haven’t heard anything about another note.
“You kind of took off after the show last night and missed the whole thing,” Cal says, handing me his phone. I look down to see a picture of the note in question.
“Fuck. Belle, I didn’t know. I swear,” I plead with her. She scoffs before turning on her heel and walking away.
“You shouldn’t have done that anyway, dude,” Cal says, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“She was shaking, Cal! I didn’t know how else to stop them,” I say as I knock his hand off.
“We should go. I think she’s heading back to the cars,” Willa says as she passes us.
We find Belle pacing in front of our rented SUVs. I’ve never seen her this angry before.
“Why, Kai?” she screams the moment she sees me. “Why are you doing this to me? Acting like you can’t stand to be around me one moment and then telling the world you’redating me the next! I can’t keep doing this with you! It’s been weeks, and I feel like I’m losing my mind!”
“I was trying to protect you! Ezra would want me to protect his girl. That’s what I’m trying to do!”
Belle pauses her pacing and stares at me like I just insulted her grandmother. “What does that mean? What are you talking about? I’m not Ezra’s girl!”
Now I’m frustrated. It’s been five years, and she needs to stop pretending.
“I saw you that night! In the woods, in each other’s arms. You were happy. Stop pretending you weren’t together!” I yell at her.
Belle is suddenly eerily calm. Her features even out, and her posture straightens. I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my life.
“You’re telling me that for five fucking years, you’ve been an absolute dick to me because of something youthinkyou saw?” she asks in an even voice.
“I know what I saw, Belle.” I’m trying to hold my ground, but it feels like the earth I’m standing on is about to swallow me.
“What you saw, Malikai, was me hugging my friend. And do you know why I was hugging my friend? Because he told me he was in a relationship and in love. That he was happy. That’s what you fucking saw.” Her features are still blank, but her eyes are blazing.
“Who the hell would he have been in a relationship with if it wasn’t you?” I ask, trying to find the lie in her words. Because if she’s telling the truth, then the foundation of the wall I’ve built around myself is about to crumble.
Belle keeps her mouth shut and doesn’t answer. I’vecaught her. “I knew it. Stop lying Belle! It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“I’m not lying!” she yells, the mask she was holding on to cracking.
“Stop!” I turn around to see Maverick. He’s crying, but I can’t tell if it’s from anger or sadness. “It was me. Ezra was with me.”
