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“That’s bullshit!” she shouts, and I feel my jaw hit the floor

“Ava!” I’ve never heard her lose it this way

“I’s You’re happy here It’s not just me!”

“You’d have to be an idiot not to be happy here! Of course I’m happy here, but that’s not the point!”

“Then what is the point?”

Clearing my throat, I walk over to the wet bar for a bottle of water “The point is I took this job I sat on that boat and shook hands with the devil You’re here because I never leave you behind”

She’s listening, but her dark brows are pulled together She’s looking for any chance to argue with me on this, but I won’t let her I twist the top off the water bottle and take a sip, calhts as well as my voice

“I’oing to see if there’s any way to redee to have to be the villain in this story”

“You’re not!” Her voice breaks, and unshed tears are in her eyes

“I areed to come here and lie to Rowan I didn’t expect toto hurt Rowan”

She’s off the sofa now, crossing the room to stand in front of me “From the start, we said ould stop it, alk away if we found out Reggie was tricking us We can just walk away!”

“Yes, but walking awayall the ay—all the way back to Florida” Her chin drops, and I know her heart is breaking My heart is breaking for both of us “I’ll walk away,” I say “I’ my best to find any way for you to stay”

Her face snaps up, and again her forehead is lined “What are you saying?”

“I’ie wants I’m convinced he’s here to finish what he started when Rowan kicked him out…”

“And?”