"Photograph you." Reeves’s laugh is bitter. "Naked, I assume?"
I nod, unable to meet his eyes.
"Of course." He drains his wine glass. "And you want to do it, don't you?"
"It's fifty thousand dollars, Reeves.”
“And this excites you…,” he says, not so much a question, but a statement.
“No,” I straight out lie.
He blows out a huge breath — the poor man is speechless.
"I know it's a lot to take in," I tell him. "But think about what that money could do for us. For Liam. For the pool hall." I pause, gathering my thoughts. "It's about taking control of our lives, about making a choice that could change everything for us."
He's silent, his gaze fixed on the half-eaten meal in front of him. I can see the cogs turning in his mind, the internal battle raging behind those dark eyes. "And what happens after the photos?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. "What is he doing with the photos? What happens when he wants more?"
"We set boundaries," I reply, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "We make it clear that this is a one-time thing. Nothing more."
Reeves scoffs, the sound bitter and devoid of humor. "Boundaries. Right." He shakes his head, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You really think we can set boundaries with a man like Caine Hall?"
I want to argue, to reassure him that we can handle Caine, that we can maintain control over this situation. But the truth is, I'm not sure of anything anymore. All I know is that we're drowning, and Caine's offer is the only lifeline in sight.
"I don't know, Reeves," I admit, my voice barely louder than the clinking of silverware around us. "But I do know that we need to make a decision. Together."
He looks up at me then, his eyes searching mine for something—assurance, forgiveness, understanding. I hold his gaze, letting him see the determination mixed with the fear that's become my constant companion.
"Alright," he says finally, the resolve in his voice cutting through the uncertainty. "Let's talk to thisbastard and see what he's really offering. But I'm warning you, Jenna, if he so much as steps over the line—"
"He won't," I interrupt, the conviction in my voice surprising even me. "Because I won't let him. We won't let him."
"And I want to be there… at the photo shoot. There's no fucking way I'm leaving him alone with you."
I swallow hard. "Sure… I will bring that up with him. I'm sure it won't be a problem.”
Reeves nods, the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly.
And as we sit there, hands clasped across the table, I can't help but wonder if we might be making a huge mistake by even considering this, if the potential rewards are worth the risks. But as I look into Reeves’s eyes, I know that we're in this together, bound by love and desperation and the desire to give our son the life he deserves.
"At least we might be able to afford dessert now," Reeves says, his attempt at a joke falling flat in the heavy silence.
I manage a small smile, squeezing his hand in silent agreement. "Yeah," I whisper, the word tasting like a promise, like hope. "At least there's that."
He's quiet for a long moment, jaw working. "I'm sickof this guy thinking he can buy whatever he wants. Buy my wife."
"It's just photos," I whisper, though my mind flashes to the storage room, Caine's hands on me. The guilt burns my throat.
When dessert arrives—lemon tartufo for me, tiramisu for him—we eat in contemplative silence. The sweetness tastes like victory, like possibility.
I stir my lemon tea, watching Anna and Lola devour their cookies with the kind of enthusiasm only three-year-olds can muster. My sister Julie drones on about their upcoming trip to the Turks and Caicos, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her chai latte cup. We don't see each other often, and it's not because we're too busy. It's because I can't stand her.
"The girls are so excited about swimming with dolphins," Julie beams. "David booked us the presidential suite."
I nod, forcing a smile. The cafe's warm lighting and exposed brick walls usually comfort me, but today they feel suffocating. My sister's life is a highlight reel of perfect moments, while mine...
She loves to gloat about her perfect life, about all her family's travels, knowing very well that Reeves and Ican't afford to go anywhere. She spends money like it grows on trees; only the best for Julie. Yet… has she ever offered to help us, knowing we're struggling?
Nope.
