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‘Thanks for that’ She shook her head slowly as tears threatened once again But, no, she would not cry She wouldn’t let Cristiano see how he affected her Hurt her And yet she needed to know ‘Why?’ she whispered

Cristiano raked a hand through his close-cropped hair ‘I… I don’t know’

‘I was having a good ti her voice not to wobble ‘Talking about things that , no doubt, and probably pathetic, but it mattered to me I’m not… I don’t want to be your…your sex toy’

‘You’re not,’ Cristiano insisted in a low voice

‘Your convenient ala before it had hardly started, and with everyone watching you took me upstairs and treated o on

‘Laurel, please Don’t’ Cristiano sounded genuinely anguished ‘I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry’

‘So you say But I still don’t understand why you treated et your kicks fro women?’

‘Of course not’ He sounded angry now, colour slashing his cheekbones ‘I wasn’t trying to humiliate you’

‘Justme feel cheap, then As usual’

‘Just re ain, leaving the, weary breath ‘And you were enjoying it, so don’t pretend otherwise’

‘I can’t help how I respond to you,’ Laurel returned with as nity as she could muster ‘I wish I could’

‘Do you?’ He let out a huh