Page 133 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

“Where are you going?”

“Far from here. Far from him and far from...from...”

“Jude...”

I stop. What am I doing? Where am I going?

I hug Björn.

“We both know what happened and that there was nothing to it. Now we just have to explain it to your stubborn, deluded husband and my friend and make him understand Laila’s dirty game.”

I let myself be convinced, and, when I return to the room, Eric is more upset than before.

“Laila records us and makes a montage of the recordings, and you believe it? That’s the confidence you have in me, in your wife?”

I place my bag on the bed, and I bump Eric without meaning to.

“You fuck,” I say.

He huffs, and Björn, seeing we’re about to fall into an argument, intervenes.

“The photos are from the day Jude came to the office to sign the papers you wanted her to sign. I invited her to lunch afterward, as I have done with you, with Frida, and with many of my friends. What makes you think it’s anything else?”

Eric doesn’t answer, and Björn gets annoyed.

“We’ve been friends for many years, and I’ve always trusted you one hundred percent. It hurts me that you think I, your friend, am going to play dirty with your wife. Do you think I’m going to spoil our friendship over a fuck with Judith?” His voice is angry. “I’ll remind you, my friend, that it’s you who offers me your wife and who enjoys what we three do. The three of us! And yes, I love it. I like Judith. I told you the first time you introduced her to me and every time you’ve ever brought it up. But I also told you that you’re made for each other and shouldn’t let anything or anyone get in your way. You’re both very important to me. You, because you’re like my brother, and her, because she’s your love and a good person. I love you both, and it hurts me to know you doubt me.”

Eric doesn’t respond. But he listens.

“Our friendship is special. I’ve only touched your wife when you’ve allowed it. When have I failed you in something like that? When have you ever had to reproach me, or I you, for playing dirty? If before, when you weren’t married, I always respected you, why would I not respect you now? Does what a stupid girl like Laila says matter more than what Jude or I say?”

Eric looks at him. His words hurt, but Björn keeps going.

“You’re smart enough to know who loves you and who doesn’t. If you decide Jude and I are lying, you’re going to come out losing, my friend, because if anyone loves you and respects you in this world, it’s her and me. And to clear up this mess, I want you to know Norbert is bringing Laila here, to the hospital. She’ll be in a tizzy, but I want her to tell the truth in front of Jude, you, and me once and for all.”

Then Björn turns to me.

“I’ll be right outside.”

He leaves us alone. The words came straight from his heart, and I know Eric knows. Sullen, he closes his eyes, and I see him shake his head.

“That’s the truth. Laila played us all,” I say.

Eric looks at me.

“You know Björn and I would never fail you. Why are you questioning it? Have you not realized I love you more than my life, and he does too?” Again, he keeps his silence. “I’ll tell you something you don’t know and that Laila surely hasn’t told you. And then I’ll leave and let you think about it. You trust her because she was Hannah’s friend, right?”

He nods.

“Well, I want you to know that, while you suffered for what happened to your sister, that woman had a great time with Leonard.”

“What?”

“Did you know Leonard lived in the same building as Björn?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Björn caught them in the garage, entertaining themselves in the backseat of a Mercedes you had loaned her, just a week after Hannah died.”

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