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“Because you wanted answers. And you sought them from a dangerous man. You hid who you were to protect yourself. That part wasn’t stupid. Everything else, though. Yeah, pretty idiotic.”
“Hey,” she protested half-heartedly.
“If you were mine, I’d be mad. I’d punish you. But I don’t let the people I love go. And neither does Alejandro.”
“He doesn’t love me. And he’d be better off without me.”
“Look, I don’t have time for a pity party.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “So you’ll just have to listen.”
“Ouch. Are you always like this?”
“Pretty much.”
“Look, I know what you’re going to say,” she told him.
“Somehow, I highly doubt that.”
“You’re going to tell me that I need to earn his trust back. That I should behave myself and be a good girl. Do everything he says and then he’ll slowly come to trust me.”
“I think I’m going to like you, Cat.”
“I very much doubt that.”
“But everything you just said was complete hog shit.”
“It was not! It was exactly what that daytime talk show host said to do.”
“What?”
“I watched this show that was on TV really early this morning. It was about this couple and the husband had been lying to the wife. The host of the show is a therapist.”
“Good God, it’s worse than I thought. You’re taking advice from some crappy daytime talk show?”
“It didn’t seem that crappy.”
“Well, it is. Stop watching that shit.”
“Hey, I don’t have to do what you say,” she protested.
“You should do what I say, since I’m always right.”
Dear Lord. And she thought Alejandro’s ego was huge.
“If you care about Alejandro, then shouldn’t you fight for him? Show him that your feelings were never a lie? Shouldn’t you fight for yourself?”
“I . . . I . . .”
“Have you ever fought for what you want, sweetheart?” He moved closer to her, staring down at her.
She tilted her head back. “I did all of this for me.”
“Did you? Or because you were a kid whose mom disappeared, and you felt lost? Fight for what you want, Cat. For what you deserve. Fight for him.”
“Are you sure that’s the best thing to do?”
“Yes. Because otherwise, he’ll continue to freeze you out. That’s what he does. So hit him with fire. Prod the beast a bit. Don’t let him get away with holding himself back from you. Make him see that you’re not her.”
“Who?”
“Not my story to tell. But there’s a reason he’s been hit hard by this. However, you shouldn’t be punished for someone else’s actions. Poke the beast, sweetheart.”
“What the hell is going on in here?”
They both turned to look at Alejandro. She winced. He looked worse than she did. There were large dark marks under his eyes, and his hair was sticking up on end as though he’d been running his fingers through it.
Hope stirred. Surely he wouldn’t look this terrible if he didn’t care about her, right?
“Ahh, there you are,” Reuben said smoothly. “I was just talking to Cat. Perhaps I should speak to Bernard. All he left her to eat was a piece of bread with butter on it. I’m sure he could do better. Especially as she looks like she needs a bit of meat on her bones. Wouldn’t you agree, Alejandro?”
“What the fuck are you doing looking at her bones?” Alejandro snapped. Then he blinked, looking slightly confused. “That wasn’t what I meant to say.”
“Maybe if you’d gotten any sleep last night, you’d know what you meant to say,” Reuben said.
“Reuben, don’t play games with me. I’m not in the mood. And Cat likes bread and butter,” he muttered. “Cat, what are you doing wearing that?”
She glanced down at his shirt, confused. It wasn’t all right for her to wear it? “Do you want it back?” She reached for the bottom of the shirt, then froze as they both yelled at her.
“Don’t remove it!” Reuben ordered.
“Do not touch that shirt!” Alejandro growled. He stormed toward her, picking her up in his arms. “What were you thinking? Were you just going to strip off in front of Reuben? I ought to fucking blister your ass.” Turning, he headed out of the kitchen.
She winked at Reuben over his shoulder. He gave her a small bow.
Yep. Cat was definitely feeling more like herself.
She’d been holding back the entire time she’d been here. She hadn’t wanted to show him her true self . . . in case he didn’t like who she was.
But now, what did she have to lose?
44
Alejandro thought he might be going insane.
He carried Cat to his bedroom and threw her on the bed before he started pacing.
Lack of sleep was getting to him.
She was getting to him.
What were she and Reuben doing talking? No one else was allowed to see her when she was half dressed, her legs on display and probably no damn panties on!
