“Presley,” Oliver says.

I’m standing in clear view now, my eyes glued to the television. I don’t even know when my feet carried me into the room, but Oliver’s spotted me.

“Why are you . . .”

But I can’t hear him. The anchors casually toss grenades back and forth with their words—phrases like “outed by an anonymous source” and “public shame” and “reputation on the line.” I can barely make sense of it.

Dominic’s face is angled away from me, and I look at him imploringly, unable to read him. I just want to know what terrible thoughts are running through his head right now. His body is pulled tight like a string, like he’s about to snap.

Oliver sighs, pulling me out of my tunnel vision. When we make eye contact, he lets loose a strangled sort of laugh. “Well . . . this is awkward. Are you guys together?”

Dominic says, “No,” at the same moment I say, “Yes.”

My face flushes hot with emotion. Well, that’s humiliating.

Oliver takes that as his cue to leave.

he closes the door behind him, he

The door clicks shut.

take a shaky breath, processing

let anyone help him almost makes me laugh. If he could, Dominic would do everything himself. I don’t know how he’s going to get out

“No.”

at the stony wall of his

has told me in so many different ways, so many different times over the past couple of months. Every time we had the chance to grow closer or shut the door on

my eyes flood with angry tears. You tried so hard, Presley. You’ve done everything you can for

he mutters, his voice hoarse,

“TV?”

eyes sleepily. Over the sound of blood rushing in my ears, I didn’t hear her tiny feet

softens. She looks like a little angel in her white pajamas and beautiful bedhead of messy curls. She yawns and scrunches her eyes closed, giving Dominic enough time to shut the TV off. It would be horrible for the girls to see their father like this, even though we both know they could neither read nor

he says firmly. His voice is clear and calm, like he wasn’t just about to break my heart

he would be right. He has two daughters and an entire company to look out for in

takes Lacey’s little hand in his and turns her back toward her

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