"For you, nothing is too much." I'd rip the beating heart out of my chest if it wouldn't kill me immediately. "Oh, and that reminds me, it's not decorated because I thought you'd want to do it yourself. However you choose to do it, it's on me. Just use the black Amex I gave you. No limit, so go crazy."
Cora breathes in deeply and takes another look around. "I don't know if I can accept this Miller, it doesn't seem right."
"There's a gym on one of the floors, and a spa, too. You have full access to both. I think they're even putting a coffee shop in the lobby or something."
She grins. "You do realize I'm supposed to be the one pitchingyouon the building, not the other way around. God, and it's yours, you own this entire thing."
"Our building, babe."
Cora side-eyes me and shakes her head. "Am I still dreaming?" She lays her head on my chest and curls up beside me.
I keep one arm behind my head and free the other to play with her hair as I study the delicate features of her beautiful face. Not too long ago I had only imagined being this close to her, and here I am, lying in bed with her, our happily ever after just within reach.
I don't know what it means that she has feelings for Silver and Alec, too, but right now, I don't care. The only thing that matters is that we're here, together, right now.
"Hey," I say softly. "Who's Jerry?"
Her blue gaze darts to meet mine like I said something completely forbidden. "What?"
"You mumbled his name in your sleep. I was curious is all."
Cora's eyes glisten, and I wish I could take back the question and shove it away to be uncovered on my own and not bother her with it.
"Um." Cora swallows harshly. "I've never really talked about it."
"You don't have to, not if you don't want to."
"God, I haven't even heard his name in years..." She shivers and her chest rises a bit faster than it was a second ago.
I tug the blanket over her body and pull her a little closer to me. "You're safe here."
"Can I ask you something?" Cora looks up at me through her lashes.
"Anything."
"Do you ever...this is probably going to sound crazy, or stupid, I don't know..."
I wait patiently for her to continue. Even if the suspense is killing me, I don't let it show.
"Have you ever had something bad happen and you store it in a little file in your brain and shove it aside? Maybe you plan to think about it another time or later or whatever but you never go back to it, you just sort of keep adding the bad things over time, until there's this big pit of bad shit stuffed into this corner of your mind that you do everything you can to ignore but the more it grows, the harder it is?" She says the words like she can't get them out quick enough, and then she sighs. It’s almost like a weight lifts off her shoulders at the admission.
"I believe what you're referring to is something called a coping mechanism, Cor. You figured out if you could disassociate yourself from the situation, the bad parts, that it could help you through it."
"I think...I think I've put too many things away." A single tear rolls down her cheek. "I don't think I have room for anything else."
"You don't have to be strong anymore. I'm here." I wipe the tear away. "And as much as I hate to admit this, Silver and Alec are here, too. Let us carry that burden for you. Let us be your rock."
Cora slightly shakes her head. "It doesn't work like that."
"Why?"
"Because I have to be the strong one. If I'm not, everything else falls apart."
"That's how you got into this situation, isn't it? You felt like you had to save your parents, like you were the only one capable of figuring it out."
"It's true," she says. "And now my life is ruined."
I hold her a little closer, leaning up to press my lips to her forehead. "Your life is far from ruined; I promise you that. This shit with Ricardo, we'll get it figured out."
