Page 141 of Down & Dirty

I closed my right hand over my left, rubbing the space where my wedding ring had been.

“I know. I just needed some space from...” I looked up at him. “Everything.”

He grimaced, his jaw working as he searched my face. “I love you, Skylar.”

My eyes started to burn, and I sucked in a sharp breath, determined to keep it together. “I know.”

“Don’t you give up on us,” he pleaded, his voice cracking.

Shaking my head, I looked away from him. His piercing gaze was going to bring down all the walls I was desperately trying keep standing. And without them, I would crumble back into his arms, and I’d be just as lost as I was before.

“I have to go,” I whispered, the words raw on a sandpaper throat.

His mouth opened, but nothing came out. And when he nodded, backing another step away, I turned and pushed through the door, leaving him standing in the hall. I felt torn open all over again.

“Either I look worse than the docs said, or youdidn’tjust make up with your husband,” Ronnie said, giving me a quick glance through slitted eyes before closing them and settling back again.

“You don’t look great,” I replied, sighing as I walked over to his bedside.

“I don’t feel great. But I hate to break it to you, you look like shit and you don’t have getting tossed as an excuse.”

No, I just had my broken heart.

“What’s the damage?” I asked, needing to change the subject.

“Sprained wrist, bruised ribs, and a sick eight-inch slice to my abdomen. But thankfully that one looked way worse than it was. No organ damage.”

My body went soft, and I leaned onto the bed with both hands. “Thank god.”

Ronnie opened his eyes, reaching for my hand. “Hey. I’m goingto be fine.” He held my gaze, and my chest got tight. “Areyouokay? Cause I mean it, you look like crap.” He didn’t laugh this time, and neither did I.

“I just...” I shook my head, giving his hand a squeeze before I turned to pull over the chair from the corner. “It’s been a long week.”

His expression was thoughtful. “I’m sorry for what I said, Sky. You were right. You can handle yourself, and if you wanted to do the modeling thing, that was your choice. I should have stayed out of it.”

Moments like this were rare with Ronnie, and I took a deep breath, letting the sincerity in his eyes sink in.

“But, can I ask you something without you getting mad?”

I laughed under my breath, “Sure.” If I was ever going to give him a free pass, it might as well be while he’s hooked to IVs in a hospital bed.

“What happened? Why did you suddenly want to go all Gisele? That’s pretty much the craziest thing you’ve ever done. Second only to marrying Cory Ellis.”

I was too tired to keep any more secrets. So, I told him the truth. All of it.

I told him about Tommy changing the terms of our agreement, and me needing more money. I told him about Cory’s idea for the fake relationship, and that he was paying me to pose as his girlfriend. And then I told him about how that had turned into something real, but Cory hadn’t always told me the truth and that when he went behind my back to kill the deal I’d secured to try and make sure I’d be okay regardless of what happened with us, it had been about more than just that contract. It had been about me not feeling like what I wanted mattered. Not to him, not to anyone.

“Jesus. Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have kicked Tommy’s ass and given him a reason to need more money for health insurance.”

“Andthatis why didn’t tell you.”

“Come on, the guy deserves to have his ass handed to him. And I’m sure Cory would help me.”

The knife that had taken up residence in my chest twisted. “Yeah, he wasn’t Tommy’s biggest fan. But he wasn’t innocent in all this. He shouldn’t be racing. He’s in no shape for it, but he made that choice all on his own. He didn’t care about what I thought or what it would mean for me and Micah, if he got hurt. Or worse.”

Ronnie was quiet for a minute, before he said, “Maybe that’s why he bailed.”

“Bailed?”

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