Page 94 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

"Me?" All I'd thought about last night was my accusations toward him, never even considering how to explain myself. So now I had a choice—either tell him the truth and confide in him, or come up with a lie on the spot.

"Come on, D—" He shook his head. "I mean, Annalise. I told you my reasoning. Why can't you tell me yours?"

"Because there's a major power imbalance here."

"Really? You think so? I don't think so at all. You're fucking Annalise Stratton. Your family practically owns this city. If anything, you have all the power here."

"Maybe my parents do. Or my sisters," I argued. "But not me."

"Not you? You think you have no power?" he scoffed. "I beg to differ. You know what I think?"

"No. And I don't care to know."

"I think," he continued on, not taking my words into account. "I think you were actually doing something quite honorable. Trying to make it on your own without your family's name or help behind you. Is that it?"

He'd nailed it of course, making me realize that this man right here knew me incredibly well, whether I liked it or not. But never in a million years would I tell him that.

"I know that's it," he said when I didn't answer. "And do you want to know what else I think?"

"No."

Chuckling lightly, he stepped closer while I took a step back. "I think you embody both prideandprejudice. Too proud to tell me, as Max, the truth and also prejudiced against my name and position."

"Please don't bring Mr. Darcy into this, because you, sir, are no Mr. Darcy."

"I'm not saying I am. I'm sayingyouare."

"What a crock of shit. I'm not Mr. Darcy. And you realize that would make you Elizabeth Bennet."

"Why, I'm flattered." He laughed. "That means you think I have fine eyes."

I couldn't help laughing too. How dare he make me laugh in the middle of me being mad at him. "I said no such thing."

Staring at him, I tried to reconcile the two so very different beings standing in front of me—Max and Jared—and it seemed nearly impossible.

"Listen, baby..." he said softly.

"Don't call me that."

"Okay. Then listen, Annalise. I know we, uh, did things as people with other names, and that you told Jared some confidences that you never would have told me as Max. But I want you to know two things. The first is that I'm really sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. I should have told you a while ago."

I nodded, not sure what to say, needing some time to think about everything.

His eyes probed into me before continuing. "And the second is... the person you got to know, that really is me. Jaredisme. They're both me. And I've never in my life felt more myself than I have with you."

God, he was really good at this, looking and sounding so incredibly sincere. A big part of me wanted to believe him, wanted to just take the easy route and trust him again. How tempting was it to just shrug it all off, take a step forward, and let his arms come around me?

Something lurched in my chest at the thought of being in his warm, strong embrace again.

But it wasn't that simple. Everything had become ultra complicated, not just one person with a false identity, but two, and I couldn't see a path forward. Ultimately, I didn't trust him. And he shouldn't trust me either. So it could never work.

He was waiting for me to say something, the ball in my court it seemed, and I knew what I had to do.

"I appreciate that," I said in my most business-like tone. "And I'm sorry too for deceiving you. However..."

"However?" he prompted when I hesitated.

"However, this needs to end. All of it. From now on, I need to go forward on my own. Alone and independent."

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