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"Because I don’t want him to know I’m this stupid! He knows I’m a mess already Riley, he ht without the top--enough said It’s a et to know me I don’t want him tolose respect fordarker by the second "I can see he’s tossing dia into my top "You knowto do with caring about you"

"Yes, it does," I counter "Itpretty he thinks will make me happy"

"You can use that necklace to pay, Melanie Just tell hiet rid of this debt Those uy Pete deals with, Eric, looks sharp and polished in that suit, but they don’t trust that guy for shit He just kisses Rem’s ass ’cause he’s their prihter ot an enforcer that’s like so whether you want him to or not!"

He looks around warily, then leans closer, across the table, lowering his voice "Pete heard ruhter’s eldest, but he didn’t want shit to do with the dad and apparently dropped off the Underground years ago Not even his son wants anything to do with ayou still owe the in my chest with renewed fear, and I hold my hands up, palms out, to pacify him "Riley, I asked for more time, okay? We have to justbreathe here"

"What? What the fk? When’d you ask for more time?"

"Last time I came to see Brooke It’s okay Really! I just sold ive the can’t, they’ll take it as interest and demand you pay fully before you can even walk out the door! Don’t ever approach et out of this, Mel I paid my debt and I want to pay yours, and if you won’t let me, then at least promise me you’ll let your new boyfriend help If you’re too proud to ask, just pretend you lost those diauess I look as hopeless as I feel, because he adds, one before you leave, I’ care of it for you, hie "I will not let you or my best friend’s husband step into this, do you hear me? And I will not involvetosensation into be free, letting go of the only thing the iven me?

"Riley," I whisper, alirl indles her boyfriends out of expensive things to turn thelowers at my precious necklace, andwith anything that has to do with Greyson

"That gift didn’t mean to him what itself-confidence "I’ve never seen a guy ton, and he doesn’t need to throw dollars at Brooke to show it"

"Well, Grey has a different style, so what? The end is the saets a look in his eyes when he seesthe another person in my life criticize Greyson to me! So I stare at hiets the true depth of s for my man, "When he looks at htood to be true"

"Maybe he is, Melanie Maybe he’s two-ti with solass and sipto worry about, it’s that mistress of his called Work Myassoff"

Riley s smile, a very unfriendly smile, and he nods to the entry of the restaurant

I turn about ninety degrees to get a lookand that’s when I see hi-son

All nition flares into disbelief, excite lust

It feels as though an energy source clings to his skin, for the entire air shifted the moment he materialized in the roo King My hor the mâitre d’, his eyes directly on a table at the far end

I can’t believe it My eyes run up and down his form There is no word for the way Greyson walks, with a hand in his pocket, his face somber, his cheekbones chiseled, his jaw smooth and tan, his mouth perfection, his dark hair carelessly tousled; I swear that aweso careless and playful about him The rest of hireen eyes, which seem beautifully self-contained and re out with hi back the most crucial part of him, but I can visualize an "us" and e can be so perfectly, and I’ Happily Ever After