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“Did you leave him or did he leave you?”

“Michael—”

“Answer the question, Dahlia”

I could feel that faot “I left him”

His shoulders seemed to relax, but he whispered, “Seems you have that habit”

“Is that why you wanted et in a few more hits? Because you aren’t perfect, Michael You aren’t blameless!”

“What the hell does thatabout Dillon?”

“You o, and you didn’t”

“Your mistake kept you away for nine fuckin’ years!”

That was it So inside ofand shuddering I lowered

my voice, the words hoarse fro me you couldn’t have found me even if you’d wanted to?”

He flinched like I’d slapped hi at me with those soulful eyes that made me want to die

“Why did you bring Nina?” I repeated

“Because I’ay She was at the station when Dermot askedthat you’d be there So I asked Nina to pretend to beinto that situation, I convinced myself you wouldn’t care”

Relief I didn’t want to acknowledgehe hadn’t screwed over Nina to get at me Also, her focused interest in Bailey made more sense now