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"I need you to understand," he said

"Understand what? Your sick need to control everything and everyone around you?"

"Have you ever known sohtened hway and the cars speeding by He was going to try to convincemy life was somehow acceptable, I knew it "No," I admitted

"Good I don’t want you to"

"You can’t tell me who to have inme that way"

"I never said that, and secondly, this is different"

"Great" I shivered, chilled by the idea that deep down Blake really wanted to, maybe needed to, control me--an expectation that seemed to root itself further into our relationship with every passing second

"Erica, stop"

"Stop what?" I shouted "I’ve never had to answer to anyone, and I’ to you So stick that in your fucking dominant pipe and s roaned and shoved his hands through his hair, giving us the slared at hi with e withto do whatever I need to do to protect you Do you understand?"

My heart slammed in my chest Shit Shit Shit His words couldn’t have hitthose three little words Every girl but me My palms prickled with heat and becareeen us

"Heath has ripped our family apart with this My parents worry every day about what they did wrong and I’ so ork before he kills hirateful that he’d spoken, but I was nowhere close to h me

I needed coffee, or sleep Mainly I needed to be so sex and eh without all of that I shook ument I was determined to win

He’d thrown round, though I worried that Blake wasn’t used to negotiating round much when he wasn’t with me I took a deep breath and placedto stick this out with Heath, I need to be there to support her, the same way I’ll support you"

For a split second, he looked lost His expression changed again and he straightened "I don’t need support, Erica I’ hurt I couldn’t bear it"

My anger faded into an overwhel desire to take the pain away, to help him fix this mess "Listen to me You can’t play master of the universe and refuse help from the people who care about you"

Blake covered htly, then threaded his fingers with ly, accepting that ere agreeing to disagree for the moment

CHAPTER FIFTEEN