“You should know, too, that I’ve decided to transfer your case to someone better suited?—”
“Transfer my case?”
“That’s right. After last night… after everything that happened…”
“It won’t happen again.”
“It’s not enough, Phoenix.” I snapped. “This is too important. Lines have been crossed, and I won’t jeopardize your treatment. You deserve better than?—”
He pushed off the couch. My body tensed as he crossed the room, placed his palms on my desk and leaned in like he had when he’d bribed me with sex and money days earlier.
Instead of doing that again, though, he said, “You deserve better than the way I treated you last night, Rose. You were confused, scared, vulnerable and I didn’t know how to handle it. I was wrong to speak to you the way I did, and to react the way I did. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
I blinked again, forcing the shock of the words away. Words were only words, after all.
No.
“No, Phoenix.No.That doesn’t make everything okay. How can I know for sure…”
“I just told you it won’t happen again, and it won’t. I’m a lot of things, Rose, but a liar isn’t one of them. I’m true to my word. It won’t happen again, and I won’t say it again.”
“Your therapy is too important. I know a great psychologist, his name is?—”
“No.Rose, it’s you. It’s you. You’re for me. You’re mine,” his voice cracked.
My eyes widened.
“Please.” There was a desperation in his voice. “You’re the only one who can… Please.” His eyes shifted away, shamed by his display of emotions. “Please. I need help.” His eyes met mine again and I swear he had tears in them. “I need help. Please. Help me.”
Tears filled my own eyes as we stared at each other, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
“Okay,” I whispered finally. “Okay.”
He released a breath, then straightened. His eyes were wide, bright, like a child who wasn’t sure how to react to what had just happened.
I knew that look. That look had shaped my life.
“Take a deep breath,” I said.
His gaze locked on mine and I watched his shoulders slowly rise, drop.
“Again.”
I breathed with him, the desk between us, although it felt like I could reach out and grab onto the connection between us.
“One more time.”
We breathed together.
He nodded—thank you.
I dipped my chin.
I watched him turn and cross the room and sink into the couch with the weight of a man that had just loosened the armor around him.
His gaze shifted to the dry erase board. “Let’s focus on the goals.”
I smiled, suddenly overwhelmed with pride. I was so damn proud of him… and I was so—so—falling for him.
