Page 119 of Devious Lies

“You love me?” she says, the last word comes out completely silent.

“Of course, I love you. How can I help but love you, my Baby Girl?”

Now, she’s smiling and crying at the same time.

There is a storm raging outside the hospital room. Her eyes flick to it, and I grin.

“It’s been raining since you got shot,” I tell her just as a lion’s roar of thunder shakes the sky.

Lightning crashes and I stare at her.

“Will they let me leave soon?” she asks.

The answer is yes. If the doctor says it's safe, of course.

But before we settle that, we have things to discuss.

“We need to talk,” I tell her, taking her hands.

She looks at me, curious, and maybe a little bit wary.

“Your mother wants you to go home with her.

“What? But?—”

“Let me finish. Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Maria. I just can't do this?—”

But before I can finish my sentence, she is shaking her head and clutching at me.

“Luc, please. I know I lied in the beginning. But I love you. We can work it out. Please, don’t send me away,” she says, tears in her eyes, and it is breaking my heart.

Another boom of thunder, and she gasps. But her eyes are on me.

The misery I see there is all because she thinks I am sending her away.

God, I love her so much.

I'm not saying what she thinks I'm saying. So, I clarify.

“Send you away? Baby Girl, I am not sending you away. I respectfully told your mother no.”

“What? I thought you meant you were leaving me,” she whispers. And I cup her cheeks and kiss her quickly.

She doesn’t have the strength to do what I want to do to her. So I have to keep it short.

“It’s been a rough couple of days, and I'm not good with words right now.

“Imagine that? A lawyer who’s no good with words,” she teases, but her eyes are still full of tears.

“Look, I’m trying to say I can't be your fucking boyfriend. I can't be somebody you can leave. I need you to belong to me and I wanna belong to you.”

She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand.

But I need to see her, so I pull it down.

It’s a totally domineering dick thing to do. But I can’t help it.

I want nothing between us when I say this.

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