Page 15 of Reverse Perspective

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Don’t do that. Don’t sit there and pretend like it was anything but pity. Just sign the fucking paper so I can leave.”

“Is that what you want? Truly?” he asks as he lifts my chin to make me look at him. The way he’s looking down at me makes me weak in the knees.

“No,” I admit quietly.

“Then why are you doing this?” he asks.

“Because I can’t stand the thought of getting my heart broken by you guys,” I say. “One of these days you’re gonna get girlfriends, wives, and kids. I’ll still be here… alone.” Tears run down my cheeks and before I can swipe them away, Dean cups my cheek and wipes them away with his thumbs.

“We’re not signing this paper, Sadie,” he says. “We are not going to let you throw away your dream because you’re scared.”

“Fine, but you’re letting me out of the lease,” I say, still trying to get something out of this.

“No. You’re not running because you’re scared,” he says with a smile. “You should know by now that you can’t run from us, Little Demon.”

“I told her, but she didn’t believe me,” Todd says.

“Yeah,” Lance says. “She’ll understand soon enough that she belongs at home with us.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“It means exactly what I just said. You belong with us, Sadie,” Lance says. His face is unreadable when he grabs the papers and rips them apart. Dean puts his hand out for the copy that’s in my hand. I roll my eyes and hand him the papers for him to destroy like the others were.

“Your morning is free now, so take some time to relax,” Dean says. I just nodded because I don’t think I’m capable of speaking whenever he looks at me like this.

“Well, I’m going to steal her so she can pay me in crappy office coffee,” Todd says. “Come walk with me, Sadie.” I step back from Dean and put distance between them and me before turning and following Todd out.

We are both silent until we get to the cart outside where they are selling coffee. I get us a cup and we find a seat away from employees taking their break. “So what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You literally just told me you were in love with them, Sadie. What’s going on?” he asks. “Anything you say to me stays with me. I know you think that just because I am a guy and they’re guys that I will tell them, but I won’t.”

“My entire life has been consumed by them. I see them at home, work, and social events, and they even come with me to my family functions to help me not go insane. They have been there through every single part of my life,” I say. “Losing them will be like losing a part of myself. Even if they are in love with me how the fuck am I supposed to choose? How am I supposed to handle any of this?”

“First, it’s always been the four of you, So I feel like it’s safe to say that it will remain that way,” he says. “Second, they only just admitted that they are in love with you. They have been denying this for just as long as you have. None of you guys want to lose each other, so don’t.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I say with a sigh.

“Well… this is my advice,” he says. “You all know that you love each other, even if you haven’t said it. The guys have never had an issue getting a girl in their bed. If you are the one that is different from the others, then they need to earn it. You make them earn you with more than just words.”

“How on earth do I do that?” I ask.

“It’s simple," Todd says, sipping his coffee. “Just don’t have sex with any of them. Don’t let any of them touch you. Not until whatever doubt you have goes away, at least.”

“So just… say no until I eventually break?” I ask.

“Basically,” he chuckles. “But I have something that you might enjoy. It will get you out of your comfort zone a bit and it’s for a good cause.”

“What’s that?”

“Saturday night at the Grand Regal, there will be a charity event. My firm is a part of the team helping raise money forsurvivors of domestic violence to get on their feet. There are some people who signed up to auction off a date with them and all of the money goes to this foundation.”

“Did you just ask me to sell myself?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“I guess I did,” he laughs. “The date would be that night at the diner there at the hotel. They’re covering the cost of dinner and dessert for the ones who win the dates.”

“I’d have to actually dress up,” I say.

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