Page 176 of Hate You More

She gives a tiny, bitter laugh. “I don’t think you do.”

“I see a woman who was once a girl who couldn’t stand up to her father because he frightened her.” Her brow furrows as I stand. “He was controlling. Is controlling.” I take a step closer, then another. “He made her think she was someone less than who she is.” The image of her back then hits me hard. Vivacious and proud, but underneath the veneer, she was alone in a way no one ever should be. “She’s someone kind and thoughtful, funny and principled. But, back then, she didn’t have the tools she has now. And she couldn’t help the boy she loved because it was all she could do to survive.”

My name is a bare breath as she drops to the edge of the bed. “Please don’t do this to me.”

I lower myself to my knees in front of her. “She grew to be strong. She became a woman who listens, who pays attention to others, who advocates for others. She even risked her own safety by standing up for a stranger in a situation she knew was wrong. She knows when people deserve better, and tries to help them, but she hasn’t yet learned that she deserves better too.”

I reach out and take her hand. I want to pull her to me and squeeze her so hard that my love slips into all the neglected spaces of her. But for now, I bounce her hand a little, relaxing her fingers.

“Don’t do this,” she whispers. “I won’t let my father weaponize me.”

“My mom used to say no good comes from listening at keyholes.” I fight a smile. “I think that rule extends to other people’s phones.”

“You can’t give it all up. I won’t let you.”

“It’s not your decision to make. It’s just a corporation, Clara. A business. It’s not my worth.” Not anymore.

“No, Troy. You deserve better—the best.”

“You deserve the best. And guess what? The best is on his knees right in front of you. There’s no one in this world who’ll love you better than me. I promise you that.”

She shakes her head, staccato. “My father will ruin you. Just let me go. Let me protect you this time.” A fat tear slides down her cheek.

“What did you promise him?” But I already know. Her obedience. “You sacrificed yourself, didn’t you?” I wipe the tear away with my thumb. “Gave up your freedom for me.”

“What does it matter?”

“It matters. You matter. You’re everything to me.”

She says nothing, her bottom lip paling under the force of her teeth. Her eyes flare as I press my thumb to that piece of deliciousness to prize it away from her teeth.

“I’d forgotten I could be jealous of a lip until you crashed back into my life. We have such a lot of time to make up for, Tater Tot.”

“You’ll hate me for it,” she whispers. “Maybe not today, but one day you will.”

“Clara.” I give a breath of a laugh, the sound watery and honest as I cup her face. “Darlin’. Sweetheart. My love. Habibti. Don’t you know this marriage isn’t over until I say so?” Her eyes flare, but I barrel on. “That was the agreement—we’re not done until I don’t need you anymore. And I do need you. I need you so bad that, when you walked out of that door, my heart stopped. I’m an idiot for letting you go. A grade A asshole for not telling you any of this before.”

“You don’t know the depths my father will sink to, the things he’ll do to ruin you to get to me.”

“As long as I have you, there’s nothing he can do to hurt me.”

“You don’t understand,” she whispers plaintively.

“Let him involve the regulators, let him sic the SEC on my company. I don’t fucking care.”

“Until the share price plummets and the board ousts you.”

“The share price will recover. I’ll still be rich,” I retort flippantly.

“But your company, Troy.” Her fingers fold around mine. “The thing you built with your own hands.”

“It will always be mine whether I’m CEO or not. But I’m not gonna make it easy for him. Let the old bastard shout from the rooftops that I’m no good, because I’ll fight him all the way. I love you, Clara. So fuckin’ much it hurts.”

Her eyes soften. “We were never meant to be real.”

“You’ll get over it. I’m sure the sex will help.”

“Stop trying to be cute,” she says, swiping at the tears that continue to spill.