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He looks confused It,Jake

"I got to hear the full lohile I was sitting on the toilet, about your activities pre-me They didn’t knoas there," I add for clarification "But I got to hear how I’o to the label tomorrow to offer her services to you"

"Who?" he asks, voice hard

"Have there been that many you’ve screwed in your office that you don’t knoho it would be?"

"Yes" His tone is low and cold and absolutely heartbreaking

"Youwith tears "What about the blonde? Is she one of your office conquests too? Or did you just screw her at the house?"

He looks confused again

"The blonde at the bar I saw you flirting with! Have you shagged her too?"

"I wasn’t flirting with her That’s Dina She works for e"

"You didn’t answer my question"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes!" I shout at hi who hears me "I want to know if you’ve fucked her too!"

His eyes darken "No, I haven’t"

"Just everyone else in LA, then"

He takes a step back, leaning against the wall "You kne I’d lived ether, Tru Don’t act like this is a surprise now" He rubs his face hard "Are you ever going to be able to get past this?" he asks His voice is softer but serious

My anger wilts

I wrap my ar down After a beat, I say, "And if I can’t, where does that leave us?"

"Right where we are but having to find some way for you to be able to cope withaway froiven you any reason to doubt irl I found in your bed in Boston"

Shit

I shouldn’t have said that But it’s too late I know I’ve pushed the wrong button

His face darkens, taking me back a step

"Out of the two of us, I think I’m the one with more cause for concern--you didn’t exactly have any trouble juht from Will’s bed intoto me?"

I feel like he’s just slapped me Hard Repeatedly Over and over

My face burns My eyes sting I can’t stop the tears leaking from them

Without another word or look, I make for the exit

"I’ his arainst ainst my ear I freeze in his hold

"I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have said that I didn’t mean it" He blows out a breath, and I feel it rush overyou, dancing with his"

My ears instantly beco to finish--Beyoncé’s "Sweet Dreaen The night that was the start of us

Did I subconsciously dance to this song on purpose to hurt hio hoh me And in thisto

His body stiffens "I’ll take you," he says, releasingfor a while, not speaking, with onlyin the direction of ho me I’ve wanted to ask for a while now, but I don’t want to be the first to break the silence

I hate e fight like this

We didn’t even get to see Vintage play Or say good-bye to Zane I bet he thinks Jake and I are crazy together

In many e are

Jake takes a sudden turn down an unmarked treelined track and presses a call into his phone, which is nestled in the hands-free

Dave’s voice fills the car "Everything okay?"

"Wait at the top Make sure nobody comes down here"

Jake clicks the phone off

I hadn’t even realised Dave was following us It makes sense; he’s only ever a step behind Jake

We reach a clearing that opens out to a cliff-top panoramic view of LA Even better than the view at hohts of the city of angels are before us Or more like Jake’s city of sin

A city I’ine but leaves the

"I co ata hard rhythm

He meets my eyes in the dark "No But we do need to talk"

Jake climbs out of the car without another word, and I follow suit