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He wouldn’t let her “But I don’t accept your verdict, Roxanne Whatever I was guilty of, I won’t take all the bla the one everyone deer think it okay for the people who once claiht” His eyes flared with the er be held responsible for eable with her character I a that matters most is, I am me”
Before she could draw another breath, he turned around Shocked to her core, she watched him cross the room that every brushstroke and article said he’d had done for her, having so accurately read her intensely personal fantasies
She’d rejected hiht and care
At the double doors he stopped, turned, buttoning his shirt in deliberate moves “My mother always told me that no one will love arded her wisdo vital You, Jalal, Rashid But it’s clear the loss was always one-sided You are all far better off without et where I a propositions I’ll accept that the proble up his shirt, nothing left in his eyes but frozen steel “So like I told the the hell out of your life This tiht
“Wow Just…Wow”
Roxanne squeezed her eyes shut She didn’t want to see the incredulity, or the pity, in her companion’s eyes
She was already sorry she’d told Cherie anything
It had been about four hours since Haidar had walked out of that bedrooone after him, but had soon realized he’d left the estate Haleem, the driver he’d flown in especially for her, had been waiting to take her home
She’d held on until she’d gotten there But theout The tears, and the whole story
Cherie’s excla any tiht ot the market cornered on complex messes”
Roxanne opened her eyes, exhaled her corroboration “Yeah”
“And it see-held misconceptions Me with Ayman, you with Prince Haidar Man, you really have a prince for a lover!”
Refraining froht years I cherished ainst him Then he tears into me with his side of the story, and here I am”
Cherie’s eyes filled with seriousness and syht now, huh?”
She grimaced in self-deprecation “Not the description I would have used Rash, overreacting, insecure, vindictive But yeah, stupid works, too Actually suave a bitter snicker “You andon me daily what an oversensitivewe picked up ere in university together? We both started seeing our men then, and after a period of head-over-heels bliss, you walked out on yours, while I’ve been on a constant roller coaster with Ay It’s a wonder your ain It’s a wonder ht blue of her eyes darkened with regret and despondence “Especially after this last flounce”
“You still love him”
“God, yes I love him so much it’s what screwsbetween you”
Cherie rolled her eyes “I’s, e”
“And you ca an anal, sanctimonious, overe all the blaround here”
Cherie arched a delicate blond brow at her “Like it exists in your situation?”
“Touché But in yours, I can tell you that no matter what, he’d rather have your mess over perfection in a life without you When I talked to him on the phone, he said, quote, ‘Cherie’s hell is better than anyone else’s heaven,’ unquote”