“I am asking you, begging you, Mandy. Please let me help you.”
“I can’t.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t understand.”
“You’re just going to make everything worse, Salinger. I can’t let you get hurt for me. This isn’t an action movie. You’re crazy—you locked me up in your guest room. You can’t go after my stalker. You’ll go to jail for decades, and I’ll never survive the guilt.” I’m blinking rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay.
He carefully drapes the robe around me, kisses the top of my head. “Stop trying to protect me,” he murmurs. “I’m not worth it.”
The doorbell rings. I don’t look at him as he leaves, barely even hear the key turn in the lock.
I bite back tears. He’s going to be back soon, and I don’t want him to see me cry. I’m suddenly exhausted.
When he comes back with the pasta, my corgi is with him.
“Pepper always gets plain pasta.” My voice is wobbling.
“I know. I bought her one with meat and sauce.” He sighs. “Mandy…”
“Just leave me alone.”
Wordlessly, he sets the tray of take-out containers on the bed.
Pepper jumps up next to me, feet sinking into the rumpled comforter.
Salinger’s hand cradles my face, his fingers wiping at the tears. “You can’t just ignore this problem. Someone’s going to get hurt. Probably you.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I choke out. “I’m not stupid.”
“Mandy, this is tearing me up. I wish you—”
“I said go away.” I sniffle, clutching the bottle of expensive wine.
He sighs again, takes a breath like he’s about to say something, then holds out his hand.
I give him my phone.
When he’s gone, I turn on the TV in the wall cabinet to watch comfort shows and stuff myself with Italian food and wine until I forget about everything and pass out on top of the comforter.
A few hours later, I startle awake with the TV playing the opening to some Korean drama. My mouth feels like I’ve been eating cotton balls. I move the leftovers to the breakfast-bar mini fridge, drink the last swallows of wine.
Pepper is giving me the look, but the door is still locked.
“Salinger?” I call weakly, wishing he’d left me my phone. I don’t have the energy to try and yell for him, wherever he is in the penthouse.
But the key immediately turns in the lock. The door opens, and he’s right there.
I blink blearily in the light from the hallway. “Pepper wants to go out.”
She pushes past me.
“Pepper, wait.” I go into the hall and start to race after her then see the laptop, the blanket, the empty bowl, the mug of coffee on the floor. “Are you sleeping outside my room?”
He lifts a shoulder. He’s back in his white shirt, though it’s a little worse for the wear.
“I couldn’t leave you in case you needed something.”
“Oh.” I curl my toes in the carpet.
