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“What was the last bit?” He reached into the tunnel around her head and folded it back so he could see her.

“She still hasn’t texted me back,” Riley whispered.

Ah. “Ri. I’m sorry.” He moved closer to her and put his arm tentatively around her shoulders. She heaved a sigh and collapsed into him, and he gathered her close.

She sniffed, and his heart twisted in his chest. If he’d thought Kristi would pick up, he’d call her in a second. He didn’t know much about their situation, but how hard was it to return a text?

“What did you want to talk about with her?”

“Why are you okay with this?” Riley peered up at him.

Because you’re here and keep choosing to be, even when she does text you back.

“You’re still you. Even if you have a new name for part of you.”

Riley made a small sound of disbelief.

“I’m not afraid of Kristi. She’s chaotic and infuriating, but she can’t make you leave if you don’t want to. And I don’t think you would have stayed with me if you didn’t want to be here too.”

She took a moment to think about that, and he breathed her floral shampoo in. She’d finally brought it over, although she hadn’t given up her lease on her tiny studio.

Patience.

“Andrew was threatened by Kristi,” she told him quietly.

His arms tightened at the way her voice got small. “I can imagine.” He’s immature and insecure and never should have breathed the same—no.

“It was really bad. I felt like he wanted me to choose but he never said it outright. He’d never say she was the issue, but we’d always fight after I’d spent time with her.”

Saint rubbed Riley’s back.

She groaned. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize this. I just thought she was intense, and I liked intense people.” She tipped her head back to meet his gaze. “Like you.” Silver lined her eyes.

“I’m not intense.”

“Ha-ha.”

Saint ruffled her hair and tucked her back against him so she couldn’t see his smile. Kristi was threatening, but mostly to Riley’s emotional stability. He’d known that the first second she’d barged into Riley’s apartment and looked at him like she wanted to kill him. Just for a second.

But that had changed.

“I do have a question,” he said.

“Join the club.”

“That morning…” She knew what he was talking about. “Would you have gone ahead with it?”

Riley tensed against him. “I’m not the one who walked out,” she said, voice hardening.

“Easy… I’m not interrogating you.” He kept her close until she relaxed again.

“Sorry. I’m all over the place—yeah? I think so? But then she was still high, and that killed the mood pretty quick.”

Interesting.

“I would have stayed too. If you wanted me there.”

“I did,” she said. “It feels better like that somehow.”