I decide this woman deserves more than some bullshit.
“We can’t get married.”
She nods like that’s what she expected. “Alright, I hear you. I agree this is crazy, but we knew that coming into today. That’s why we discussed everything.”
“You and Deanna discussed it.”
“What’s the difference? She was speaking of you, wasn’t she?”
“We can’t do this.”
“If there’s some clause in the contract you want to change, we can figure it out.” She gets out of her chair and walks over to a bag left in the corner. She rummages around until she draws out a spiral-bound book, clearly something Deanna put together. I’d recognize my assistant’s handiwork anywhere. “Here, show me the problem and we’ll hammer it out real fast. We can delay if we have to.”
“It’s not the contract. I didn’t even read it.”
Her jaw tightens. “Are you kidding me? We worked hard on this thing.”
“I know. That’s the problem. We can’t do this, Valentina.”
“What the fuck, Prime?” She slams the contract down onto the vanity. Make up brushes and palettes scatter to the floor. “Why are you doing this right now?”
“All of that—everything on that paper—I’m sure it’s carefully structured and well done. But I can’t give you the one thing that matters.”
“Don’t do this to me right now. Please, I know you’re probably freaking out. I am too, honestly, but we’re going to make this work.”
“You’re not listening.”
“All my friends are here. My fuckingfamily, Prime. Do you have any idea what they think? What they’ve been saying? Last night, Lucy spent two hours begging me not to go through with this. She showed me every nasty piece of information she could find about you, and I’m still here.”
“I don’t even know who Lucyis, don’t you get it?”
“Who gives a fuck about that?!” Valentina takes a few steps toward me. I notice she’s barefoot. I don’t know why I cling to that detail. “I don’t care about you and you don’t care about me. That’s exactly why this works. I’ll play your respectable wife and help you launder your dog shit reputation, and you’ll give me children.”
“But that’s the problem. I’m not going to curse you or any potential future people withme. It’s the kids, Valentina. I can’t do it.”
She stops in her tracks and looks like I punched her in the stomach. Her hand drifts to her midsection like she’s holding in her guts or maybe reaching for a baby I’ll never give her.
Because I’m nothing but a curse. I’ve known it all my life, ever since I was old enough to think. My parents abandoned me, the state did its best to get rid of me, and even Shawn eventually found out exactly what happens when I get close to someone.
Nothing good happens when I let other people in.
I can’t do that to Valentina, and I sure as fuck can’t do that to her children.
“Why did you do this to me?” Her voice is very small. She’s pale as she turns her back on me.
“I didn’t think?—“
“It’s her, isn’t it?” I barely understand as she leans against the vanity, fingers curling into the pages. “I saw the way you treat each other. The way you look at her. I didn’t mind, you know. I wouldn’t mind if you wanted her too, so long as you stuck to the deal. It didn’t bother me, but now?—“
“Who are you talking about?”
She looks back at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Get the fuck out. I’m done with this.”
“Valentina—“
“Get out, Prime. Why are you even still here? You must love twisting the knife. You’re even more sadistic than I thought. You want to call this off? Then you deal with the consequences. I’m getting my stuff and I’m leaving. You figure out how to clean up this mess.”
“I’m sorry.”
