“I don't want to be a charity case for you,” he says, his face growing somber.
“I don't see it like that. I’m a billionaire, baby,” I say with a laugh. “I have more money than I can spend by myself. I give away more than half of what I make every year. I don’t mind. I do it for all my girls, and now I’m going to do it with you. You’ve lived a really fucked-up life. I might not have been through exactly what you have, but I’ve been through something pretty damn close. If you're not ready to get out into the real world and be around people, I get it. Take all the time you need, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.” I beam at him, meaning every word.
His eyes are glassy with tears. “Thank you,” he whispers. “You don't have to, but... thank you.”
“Of course.” I shrug my shoulders at his words. “You're one of us now.”
“One of you,” he whispers, mostly to himself. “I like that.”
Sam and I spend most of the day together. He tells me a bit about his backstory. And fuck, it's bad. So fucking bad. A lot like mine, but he was sold over and over again, as opposed to me, who was just being used again and again by the same men. After that confession, he asked why I came in huffing and puffing, so I told him what happened.
“So she told you?” Sam asks, taking a sip of the tea I made him.
“Well, she kinda yelled it at me,” I say with a laugh, but it's not funny. I feel like trash for making her feel that pain for so long. I never meant to hurt her.
“Good,” he says, nodding his head.
“What do you mean‘good?’”
“Harlow, that woman is so obviously in love with you. How did you not see that?” he questions with a grin, brows raised.
“I don’t know,” I groan. “I thought it was just part of her personality.”
“Does she act like that with anyone else?”
I stop and think about his words. With me, Evie is flirty, playful, relaxed, and fun. We’re like two peas in a pod, only I kill and she doesn't. With others, she's nice, friendly, and sweet.
“Maybe I didn't see it because I didn't want to.” I sigh, putting my head back against the couch, and turning to look at him.
“How come?”
“Because, every time I trusted someone, loved someone, gave a piece of myself to someone, they always ended up hurting me. I guess I didn't want to risk that with her. I was already so invested with her that she became my whole world, and anything more would have been too much. Letting her in like I did was already a big risk.” Damn, look at me being all ‘adult like’ and sharing my feelings.But also, who the fuck am I?Sam is just so easy to talk to, I guess, so it's all just spilling out.
“Do you feel the same way?” he asks.
I’ve never been attracted to girls before, at least not in the wanting-to-jump-their-bones-and-fuck-them-til-they-scream kind of way. I mean I appreciate the female form, but with Evie... there was always something different. I always find myself staring at her when she's not looking. When she smiles, my heart fills with warmth, and a feeling of happiness takes over me. Like two puzzle pieces clicking together perfectly. When we hang out, I always want to be close to her. When we cuddle, sometimes I think about what would happen if my hands just inched up a bit, or what her reaction would be had my face shifted closer to hers.
Plus, when it came to anyone else being interested in her, I always scared them away. No one was good enough for her. The thought of her being with anyone else makes me murderous. She was mine, and I don’t want to share her.
“Youarein love with her,” he smiles, looking at the no doubt dopey smile on my face that I can’t help but get thinking of her as mine.
Fuck, he’s right, I am in love with her. “I think you're right.” I bite my lip, trying to hide my smile that tries to grow wider as I admit this major realization.
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“Go get my woman!” I shout, jumping up from the couch with a spike of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Sam flinches from my sudden change in volume and movement. “Shit, sorry,” I apologize, giving him a small wince.
“It’s okay.” He laughs softly. “Just know, I don't think Evie wants soft and sweet; she just wants to be loved by the woman she's in love with."
“She talked to you about this?” I raise my brow in surprise.
“A little.”
“Alright. Lock up behind me, and I’ll see you soon, okay? I will try to check in and visit as much as I can. And if you ever wanna come down, just message one of us, and we will be here right alongside you to make sure you feel comfortable.”
“Thank you.” He smiles softly.
With that, I say goodbye and head downstairs. The girls are already arriving, getting ready for their shifts tonight.