then I would’ve grabbed onto Trix and never let her go.
But life isn’t fair. Despite the colors in it, it isn’t made up of fucking sunshine and rainbows. Some people have to deal with more shit shadows than others. And this is my lot in life.
The last thing I want is for my shadow to besmirch her. She’s too bright for that. Too precious.
So despite the fact that my mind torments me by replaying Trix’s heartbroken face when she begged me to love her back, I know I did what was right. Because I won’t let her put faith in my life when my damn life is forfeit. I won’t let her waste her heart on someone whose heart is giving out.
I stay another two hours at the office, working on some possible real estate ventures that I think we should look into. As I’m putting things away, I press my thumb over the scar on my chest, feeling a twinge there. It’s common now. I feel my erratic heartbeat all the time, alongside spasms of pain. Ever since my last episode that put me in the hospital, I’ve noticed things are going downhill fast.
I pack up my work laptop and put it in my bag alongside the files Harvey brought me. I’ll look over them tonight at home. I walk out and take the elevator down to the lobby. It’s late, so everybody else is already gone except for the security staff.
“Have a good evening, Mr. Knight,” the security guard says.
“Good night, Bill,” I reply with a nod as I walk out the door and onto the sidewalk.
My driver is parked at the curb, but there’s another figure waiting by the car that stops me in my tracks.
As soon as she sees me, she marches over and places her hands on her hips, looking up at me with pure disdain.
“Blue,” I say coolly. “Good to see you again.”
“Cut the shit, Knight,” she snaps as she tosses her dreadlocks over her shoulder. “I want to know what the fuck you did to her.”
I roll my eyes. “We dated for a few weeks. Things ended. That’s it,” I tell her. The lies don’t sound nearly as bitter as they taste.
Blue narrows her eyes on me, but that’s my only warning before she rears back and then punches me in the face.
My head snaps to the side upon impact, and her knuckles instantly make my jaw ache. Damn, she can throw a punch.
My security guard, having been watching our exchange, comes rushing out, but I stop him. “It’s all right, Bill. You can go back inside.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Knight?” he asks warily.
“I’m sure.”
My eyes stay on Blue as I listen to Bill slowly walk back into the building.
I watch her as she shakes her hand slightly. “You hurt my damn hand, you thick-headed ass,” she hisses.
“I’ll try to be a softer target for your next punch,” I deadpan.
She glares at me, clearly unimpressed.
I sigh and run a hand over my sore cheek. “How is she?”
The words fall unbidden from my lips before I can stop them. The second they’re out, I wish I could take them back.
Blue crosses her arms in front of her, and I’m shocked to see that alongside her fury, she also has a sheen in her eyes. “Why?” she snaps. “Don’t suddenly act like you care. You hurt her. Bad. She’s sad all the goddamn time. But you wouldn’t care about that, would you?” she challenges. “Because you’re Warren Knight. This is what you do. You use women and then you toss them away. But why did you have to do it to her?” she demands, her bottom lip trembling. “Out of all the people in the world, why do it to such a loving person like Trix?”
I realize then that Trix didn’t tell her about my medical condition. She probably hasn’t told anyone my secret. I don’t know whether it’s because she’s trying to protect me or not, but regardless of her reasoning, I’m grateful.
“I wish I hadn’t,” I confess. “If I could go back—”
Blue cuts me off. “Spare me the line. Fuck going back. How about you man up and go fucking forward?” she demands. “That’s what she deserves. Nothing less.”
“On that, we can agree.”
She stares at me, her brown eyes filled with contempt as she takes my measure. She shakes her head, obviously finding me lacking. “You know, for a second there, I thought you were really good for her. And I know she