Page 74 of The Hideout

Juliet’s eyes darted around the room as she wrung her hands. Paige couldn’t bear to see Juliet like this. Looking as though she felt useless.

“Do you need to go to the hospital? I’m sure you’ve already been to the police station, but maybe a check-up would be wise.”

“I don’t want to speak to the police. I just want to leave and never see him again. Forget all about this mess I got myself into.” Paige had gone over it all in her head for every second of the day recently, but she came back to the fact that she didn’t want to make a police statement. Paige didn’t have the energy to go through a trial. Juliet wouldn’t like that at all, more so not the lawyer in her, but it was Paige’s decision. And her decision was final. “A divorce would have been enough, but there’s no chance I’m going to get that from him. It would require him admitting defeat.”

“While I think you’re making a mistake not going to the police, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. But I am going to ask you once more if you’ll please stay here with me until I know you’re better.”

“You’re sure you don’t mind?”

Juliet smiled, cocking her head. “It would be nice to spend whatever time we have left together. Even if only to have you around the place. I won’t overstep, I’m aware of what’s happening here, but I would like to have you here until you’ve made some decisions on where you’ll go.”

“Okay.”

Juliet crossed the room, taking both of Paige’s hands as she sunk to her knees in front of her. “I’ll never regret anything more than not being there with you. And if you hate me for that, for not pushing harder when you wanted to go there alone, then I accept that this is on me. I’m so sorry, Paige. I’ll never forgive myself.”

“I chose to go there alone. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Lowering her eyes between them, Juliet squeezed Paige’s hands. “It doesn’t feel that way.”

“Just having you here with me now…it means the world to me. And deep down, you know how much I appreciate it.”

Juliet shifted and took a seat beside Paige. She really wished things could be different, that she could be confident that James was finally done once and for all, but Paige couldn’t risk it.

“For the shortest time, I felt so happy with you, Paige. You made me realise that there was so much more to life than just existing and working. You…made me feel something deep down. I had a purpose again that extended beyond my career. And I know that you’ll move on from Liverpool and forget all about me, but I’ll never forget about you. Remember that, okay? Remember that when you’re falling in love with someone, when you’re building a life and a home with them, even just while you’re enjoying your first coffee of the day…that you made me so unbelievably happy. You’re more than capable of planning out a whole new life, and I’m excited for what your future holds.”

Juliet lowered Paige’s hands into her lap and stepped away. She heard the sniffle, she watched as Juliet’s shoulders slumped, and then she felt an immense loss as Juliet glanced back at her with tears in her eyes.

“Thank you, Paige.”

“F-for what?”

“Showing me that I can be loved.” Juliet smiled half-heartedly, her eyes closed briefly. “And for the most beautiful last kiss.”

Chapter 23

FOREVER

Juliet watched Paige sleeping from the doorway to her spare room, anger ferociously bubbling away deep inside her. Paige’s beautiful face was swollen, those eyes she’d dreamt about while Paige was gone deep purple, now beginning to yellow. The last twenty-four hours had been hard; Juliet didn’t know what to do for the best, but if she knew one thing for certain, it was that she was going to lose Paige in the coming weeks. She’d witnessed the determination in her eyes last night as she told Juliet she was leaving.

She wanted to try. She wanted to show Paige she could have a meaningful, happy life here in Liverpool. But who was Juliet to do that to her? She had no right to beg Paige to stay, and she wouldn’t. She…couldn’t. Juliet meant it last night when she told Paige she’d help her leave. It was the least she could do given the situation they were in. Maybe some would criticise Juliet, insisting this wasn’t her situation, but Paige was her responsibility in some way…and she’d failed her. God, she’d let her down like she didn’t know it was possible.

Juliet turned away, brushing a tear from her jaw. She couldn’t face the day when Paige left for good. She’d grown far too attached to wave her off and wish her well. Still, she couldn’t sit and dwell on that moment. She had far more important things to take care of.

Needing to talk this through with someone, she lifted her phone and moved down the hallway into the kitchen. Paige would be sleeping for a while longer yet, and even if she wasn’t, it was quite clear the relationship they had now. So Juliet would give her some space, time to process the last week, and unless Paige specifically asked that Juliet be around, let her be.

She puffed out her cheeks, bringing up a number she hadn’t called in many months. When the call connected, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, if it isn’t the woman who pissed off and forgot I existed!”

“Hannah, hi. How are you?”

“Friendless now that you’ve buggered off! But otherwise good.”

Juliet rested against the kitchen counter, closing her eyes. She’d gotten out of the habit of staying in touch with her ex-escort turned employee, but it was really good to hear Hannah’s voice. “Is there any chance you can get out of the office for an hour?”

“I’m not working today. So, yes. I can meet you. Save me from this mountain of laundry and tell me where. I’m sure Edie and Caz have some kind of competition going to see who can wear the most clothes in a single friggin’ day!”

Oh, how Juliet’s heart ached for something so trivial. “Count yourself lucky that you can even complain about that.”

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