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This was his goal To make Ryat see me as repulsive Matt wants Ryat to throw er that Matt wantsto turn hile he has left to play

Ryat enters the bathroom, and I drop my head, unable to meet his eyes in the mirror

“Hey” Feeling the tips of his fingers on my neck, he pulls my hair off my face with one hand while the other pulls me from the counter to face him “Blake, look at me”

Feeling defeated, I lift my head

“Are you hurting?” he asks, concerned theback the tears

“No,” I whisper

He gives etic smile “I’m sorry about your dad”

I look away fro to let those tears fall They’re so close to the edge

“Blake,” he demands my attention “Talk to me”

Sing the lu him “He wants you to throw me away,” I whisper

“What do you mean throw you away?” His face scrunches at the question “Who are you talking about?”

“Matt He wants to ly, so you’ll leave me”

“Blake …” He sighs heavily “Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know”

Stepping into me, he slides both hands into my hair and holdsme sniff “You are the only woman I’ve ever told that to And it’ll stay that way until the day I die Your face will heal, your scars will fade, but e So, whatever he said to you, or et to you That’s what he wants Understand?”

His words do what I tried to avoid, and the tears spill over ht is still pretty foggy I knoas Matt, but I don’t really remember any conversation we had if we even did I just know that this has to be his plan He wants me away from Ryat, and he knows I’d never leave him

Leaning down, he presses a soft kiss tohe can tastehiet too far “Will you take a bath with me?”

“Of course”