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“You’re right, I’rateful You know I appreciate you”

His shoulders relax, but his eyes still glean with anger My heart pluins to swirl in my stomach

I’ot in the car, I keep saying the wrong thing

The waiter delivers our meals while Ryan and I attempt small talk It s fro in ras, parsley purée andand baby beets And I ordered crab-stuffed filet us and a side of spinach strawberry salad The meat is tender and falls apart into the back of my head

Ryan’s freezes, his fork pausedwith ire His face reddens, but he doesn’t say anything, instead slowly bringing the fork the rest of the way to

hisa bite of his food He chews slowly, the flaer

“I’ize quietly, embarrassed by lance around confirms that no one seemed to notice The people I can see are too consumed in their own conversations

He sht and doesn’t quite reach his eyes “Get used to it, baby This is your life”

Well, that sounded fucking ominous

“YOU KNOW THAT I love you, right?” Ryan asks, his eyes trappinghis dominance, and I don’t want to let him have it

I close htly, desperate to block out the scene before rippingmy movements

“Do you know that I’m the only one who does, River? I’m all you have No one else will ever love you like I do And you s, and I hate it,” he whispers His hand tightens, andon my toes to abate the pain He followsto pinch in h movement to s it

He drops h to wrap his hands around hly

“Why do youhis hands around my arms

“What did I do?” I cry, tears burning my eyes