And that woman is a lying, cheating, manipulative whore.

If I walk away and don’t even try to make sure he doesn’t end up hurt, then I’m not a friend at all. So it really leaves me with only one choice: to keep fighting for the man I’ve grown to love, because above all else, he matters to me, and I’d be a weak and selfish person if I walked away and left him when I know he needs me around.

“You don’t need to be in here, Reign,” I say, zipping up my suitcase. “Believe it or not, I understand.”

He sighs and I look up to see him running his hand through his hair. “I’m not askin’ you to leave, Tia. I’m confused. I need time to go over this shit. I’ve got two women telling me two different things. You can’t begin to imagine how that feels.”

I meet his gaze, and our eyes lock. “I might not have known you long, Reign, but I’d never lie about something like that.”

Another sigh.

“You know, a big part of me wants to believe you, Tia. Then I’ve got Selena, saying the exact same thing you are – that you’re the liar. I have no idea who to believe, no idea how this is going to end for me. If I believe her, I’m going to lose you. If I believe you, I’m going to lose her. I can’t win.”

I feel for him; I actually do. I know who the liar is here, but I’m not in Reign’s shoes. He’s got a woman who is swearing black and blue that she isn’t in the wrong, and not only is she a woman he’s known for a long time, she’s a woman he loves. I might see her for the black-and-white whore she is, but he doesn’t see her that way.

“I understand,” I say again, because really, what else is there to say?

“I didn’t come here to talk about that. I came here to ask you not to leave. I don’t want you to quit your job, because the work you do for my business is better than anyone I’ve had, and you’re still my friend. I don’t want that to end, not over something like this. I need time, but I also need you to stay with me.”

My heart breaks a little more for him.

I’ve got three choices here: I can be an asshole, storm out and tell him I’m quitting. I can try to distance myself from him, pushing him out of my life completely and starting fresh or I can stay in the job, keep smiling and being his friend, and be the girl that a part of him, albeit small, was falling for.

I force a smile, though I’m sure my lip wobbles. “I’m not going to quit, Reign. You know me: push me down and I’ll get back up. Besides, I need this job. I was laid off from the other accounting firm so if I walk now, I’ve got nothing to fall back on.”

His eyes narrow. “You didn’t tell me you got laid off.

I shrug. “I didn’t think there was a need to.”

His expression softens and he takes a step forward, placing his hand on my cheek. “I know what this all looks like to you, Tia, but I haven’t made my choice. You know where I stand with Selena, but you also know where I stand with you. I don’t want you to walk away from me, because right now I honestly don’t know where the fuck I’m at. I don’t want to be angry at either of you, but I also don’t want to trust the wrong person.”

“I said I understand,” I whisper, staring at his golden, broken eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, Reign; what sort of person would that make me? I’m not going to lie and tell you this doesn’t hurt, because it does. It hurts more than you could possibly know, because I do care about you and I don’t want to see you in pain. I can take a step back, I can let you sort this out, but if you only take one thing from me, Reign, then take this: you need to step back from her, too. To make the right choices, to get your head around the right information, then you need to clear yourself of both of us until you can see through the mist again.”

He studies my face, and then he leans down to kiss my forehead. “You’re right. Thank you for being the better person about this.”

Oh, believe me, I don’t want to be. But what choice do I truly have? I can’t lose him; not when I know what he’s being left with.

I wave my hand and step back. “No problems.”

He purses his lips, but doesn’t say anymore about the subject. “You’re still going to leave, though. Aren’t you?”

I nod. “I have to. It’s too fresh and too raw right now. It hasn’t been a successful week and I think it’s best if we give each other a few days.”

He nods. “I get that. Let me organize safe travel home for you.”

I smile and watch as he pulls his phone from his pocket to get that all under way. My heart aches for him, because I know how confused he must be right now. He’s literally torn between two worlds and that can’t be an easy place to be. I finish up with my luggage and roll it to the door before sighing and glancing around the room one more time.

By the time Reign gets back in town, I vow to be the person he hired and cared about again. But for now, I’m going home to sulk.

And I’m absolutely allowed to.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

One week later

Hiccup.

“Can I have another?”

Hiccup.

“You sure about that?”

Hiccup and a glare for the bartender. “Yes.”

I’m out in a strange bar, drowning my sorrows. I am going back to work tomorrow, going back to see Reign and pretend like none of this matters. The more I think about the entire situation, the more I realize it’s going to be fucking hard to pretend it doesn’t matter to me to be around him.