"No. I don't believe so. For Blue, it isn't about wanting to die. It's about surviving moments that feel unmanageable and having no safer tool at hand. Shame and fear trap her in it, and the relief is brief, which is why it can repeat. What she needs is safety, consistency, and someone who doesn't disappear when it gets hard."
"And you thought it would be smart to date her?"
I sarcastically laugh. "No. I can assure you I did not."
"Yet you got her pregnant."
The same rush of adrenaline from earlier comes back. I blurt out, "I did not intend to, but I won't lie and say I'm upset about it."
He stays quiet, assessing me, then declares, "Pain explains behavior. It does not excuse chaos. You added chaos to our family."
I nod. "For that, I am sorry. But I am not sorry I fell in love with Blue. And I'll protect her to the best of my ability."
He snorts. "You can't protect yourself."
"My protection is different from yours. I protect her from herself. And that is something you will never understand unless you're in the thick of it," I argue.
Maksim turns his head slowly, eyes cutting toward me with a sharpness that makes my spine straighten. "Do not assume what I understand. I understand power. I understand damage. I understand consequences."
"I'm not questioning that. I'm telling you what keeps Blue safe."
The SUV hums beneath us as traffic flows past. The city feels distant, unreal, like I'm watching it through thick glass. Maksim studies me in silence for several seconds, the weight of his attention heavy and deliberate. He finally declares, "You believe you are essential to her."
"I believe consistency is. I've become part of that for her."
His mouth tightens. "She does not need a man to orbit and abandon her."
"I'm not leaving her. Not now. Not when things get hard. Not when it scares me."
Maksim exhales through his nose. "It's easy to speak words."
I counter, "They're backed by action. I didn't run. I didn't fold. I'm still here."
His gaze flicks to my wrists, still red and raw. "Barely."
"I'm not pretending I'm invincible. I'm saying I'm committed," I argue.
Silence stretches for a long time. Chicago slowly reappears, and I realize we weren't even in the state.
Maksim warns, "Things in our family don't go outside of it. Understand?"
I meet his gaze. "Yes."
"Good."
The SUV races through the city, then turns, slows, and glides into a secured underground entrance. Gates slide open. Cameras track us. The engine idles before cutting off.
Maksim opens his door first. "We'll continue this conversation later." He steps out.
I follow, legs stiff but holding. The air in the garage is cool and smells faintly of oil and concrete. My body stands heavy, adrenaline gone, and exhaustion settles deep into my bones.
The elevator ride up is quiet. Maksim stands with arms crossed. I stare at the numbers as they tick upward, my thoughts circling one thing and one thing only.
Blue.
The doors open into a penthouse, light spilling across polished floors. The space is quiet, controlled, immaculate.
Blue jumps off a sofa with a brunette and rushes toward me, her glassy eyes wild but filling with relief. Her hands hit my chest hard enough to make me rock back a step, then curl into my shirt like she's anchoring herself. She sobs, "Red."
