Chapter 50
“Come here.” I extend my arms. “Are you okay?”
She nods, but I feel the warmth of tears on my skin as they drip onto my chest.
“He’s not an easy guy to say no to.” I rub her back. “I’m proud of you for standing your ground.”
“Thanks for not …” Her voice cracks as she tries to hold back her emotions. “… asserting yourself there.”
“I got out of bed when you said let go.” I gently pull her back to look into her eyes. “But then I heard the door shut.”
“Thank you for not making yourself known. I don’t even want to know what would have happened. I’m used to guys getting in the middle and punching each other.”
“It wasn’t my place. But if he comes back, that’s a different story.” I kiss the top of her head, noticing how her body is shaking. “Let’s get back into bed, baby.”
We get under the covers, and I hold her tight.
“He didn’t take the ring,” she says after a moment, her voice raw with emotion. “It used to make me feel safe. Now … now it’s just a symbol of his control, of being some fertile womb for him to carry on his legacy.”
“Throw it away.”
She huffs into a laugh. “I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“It probably cost seventy thousand dollars.”
“Donate it then.”
“It’s not mine. It’s his. I’ll send it back to his office.”
I play with her hair, happy she has calmed down.
“I didn’t want to take his money, you know,” I share. “But we needed it. I still regret taking Harris Ventures on as a partner.”
I sigh, continuing to comfort Dani while also confronting a new reality. Outside of Real-ity’s growth projections, she could be a reason for Adam to make my life hell. Fuck.
“I’m going to treasure the fact that he wants something he can’t have,” I whisper into her hair.
“Don’t be so happy about it.”
I kiss her forehead, grateful for this closeness. “And I’m happy you officially picked me too.”