“And now you’re about to be jobless.”
“It was worth it, okay? Not that you would know anything about sacrifices for the person you love.”
There’s a sudden silence as my words drift between us as if they’re slowly writing themselves into our minds.
“You love her?” Thea asks.
“I…” Is that why it hurts so much? Why I can’t fathom how she couldn’t trust me? Why it felt so crushing that she kept telling me she was scared?
The woman I love doesn’t trust me.
“You do, don’t you? Holy shit.” Thea sighs deeply. “Normally, I’d be over the moon that someone’s warmed up that soul of yours again, but Xander, can you tell me honestly and truthfully that you’re okay losing your career over her?”
I stare down at the Christmas lights reflecting off the leather on my shoes. “Yes.”
“For real?”
“Yes. I am. Because… because I love her. I love Snow.”
“But she lied to you,” Thea says, and her voice is soft. “Can you say it’s worth it and forgive her for hiding something so huge?”
I press my lips into a thin line, then nod. “If she can be honest with me and tell me her true intentions, then… then yes. I absolutely can.”
35
SNOW
“Did Mr. Thomas at any point ask you to keep your relationship a secret?”
“By my own choice, I did.”
“At any point during your relationship, did Mr. Thomas threaten you?”
“No.”
“At any point during your relationship, did Mr. Thomas threaten your position in the department?”
“No.”
“At any point during your relationship, did Mr. Thomas make you feel like you were obligated to sleep with him?”
“No, this is… this is getting ridiculous.” Question after question grates on me just as they have for the past two hours.
I was discharged to go home earlier this afternoon, and that’s when H.R. swept in to put me through the wringer about Xander.
Talking about him hurts.
I’d much rather feel the tenderness of my incisions or the bruises from the crash.
“This is important, Miss Montoya. I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you how serious this is.”
“You don’t but you’re blowing things way out of proportion. Xander didn’t threaten me, he didn’t make me feel unsafe, he did nothing but help me and look out for me.”
“Can you be sure that it wasn’t part of his manipulation?”
“To do what?” I throw my hands up in frustration. “What did he have to gain from sleeping with me?”
“Power? A sense of control?” The woman taps her pen against the clipboard in her lap. “These kinds of situations are difficult as often, the victim doesn’t realize they’re a victim.”
