Page 161 of Between the Lines

“You think? Really?”

He nods. “It’s spot-on for the time. You should use yourself, too, sweetheart. And your story.”

I dig my teeth into my bottom lip, and then slowly shake my head. “I can’t. I don’t want to be back in the media, ever.”

“Your story deserves to be told. Properly. The way you told it to me.”

“Maybe. But I can’t do it.”

A furrow appears between his eyebrows. “Your parents don’t know who you’re writing a memoir about.”

“No. I signed an NDA.”

“Chaos, break it. Break it if you want to tell them.” He sits down beside me on the bed. There’s something measured about his movements. “Are you worried what they’ll say when they realizewhoyou’re writing about?”

“They won’t like it,” I admit.

His frown deepens. “Fuck.”

I shrug. “You weren’t responsible for the show. I realize that now. And I think, in time, I can get them to see that, too. Maybe. But they hold a bigger grudge on my behalf than I do for myself. There will be… reactions.”

“Do you want me there when you tell them?”

My gaze flies to his. “You’d do that? Why?”

“If I’m there, they can take their anger out on me,” he says.

“I don’t want you and my parents to get into a fight.”

“I won’t fight back.” Lifting his head, he points his chin toward me. “I’ll give your dad a free pass to clock me. Right here.”

The stupidity of that makes me chuckle. “Thank you. But it’s me they’re going to… question. I should tell them, though. Better they hear it from me than when your book is released.” I sigh. “I’ll call them tomorrow and have the conversation with them.”

“Okay,” he says, his smile slowly fading. “But I don’t like the idea of you getting any flack for something that you didn’t evenknow about. You had no idea I was the subject when you signed the contract.”

“If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll tell them about that.”

“Please do.” He pulls me to his chest, and the warmth is more calming than any words could be. “I do want to meet them, though,” he says. “Someday.”

My eyes widen. “You do?”

“Yes. They’re important to you, so they’re important to me. And I can be very charming, Chaos. I charmed you.”

“Yes, but I feel like that’s somehow in adifferentway than you want with my parents?”

He chuckles against my temple, just like I’d hoped. “Slightly, yes. But I want you to know, I’ll be there if you need me, or if they want answers from me about the show. My face is available for punching.”

A smile tugs on my lips. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

“Good. We can circle back to this next Tuesday.”

My smile widens. “Add it to the agenda?”

“Yes.” He leans down to press a kiss on my cheek. “It’s a great initiative for Q3.”

I kiss him back and surrender to the soft warmth of his lips. I love it when he kisses me like this. Slow and steady, like he could do it all night.

“I love it when you talk nonsensical business jargon to me,” I say.

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