Make Me

everyone pile into the house. Louis threw a laughing Roxy over his shoulder and strode into the white-­marble foyer, his expression one of familiarity, since his family’s money was on par with her own. They’d spoken about their summers in Southampton only briefly but had laughed over the fact that they might have been at some of the same parties as children. Honey stepped inside, her jaw dropping. Ben pushed it back up with a single finger and leaned in to kiss the back of her neck. Abby turned to find Russell hovering just outside the door, as if deciding whether or not to come inside.

Unease swarmed in her belly. Russell had never voiced discomfort over her family’s abundance of money, but she’d always sensed it beneath the surface, seen him tense up when someone else picked up the tab at dinner. Now, though, seeing his hesitancy even to step past the threshold, she wondered how deep it ran. Over the

She knelt on the floor in front of him, seized his face in her hands. “I love you, too.” Her lips drifted over his forehead, cheeks. “I love you. You love me. And nothing else is more important than that.”

And since I need to be with you, the only option is for me to move here. So you can’t sell it. No one gets this office but me. No one gets this house but us.” She swiped at her eyes when more tears fell. “Are we getting married or living in sin? Because as long as I get you, Russell, I’m in either way. Any way.”

A shock of electricity struck him right in the chest, so powerful he couldn’t breathe. Or speak.

“I love you, Abby. I’ve loved you. I didn’t realize saying that might be all you needed to hear because I only understood action. If I were a smarter man, I would have said the words a million times. I’ve loved you. I’ve loved you. I’ve loved you. And this house is useless unless you’re inside it to make memories with me.” He laid a fist over his heart. “My memories were supposed to be with you.”

His heart . . . he wished it would just give in and stop working. Why wouldn’t it just stop working? Tick . . . tick . . . tick. Every beat was pointless. Every fucking thing was pointless without her.

What I needed was someone to love. Someone to love me back.

We’ve belonged to each other since we met.”

I’m going to work hard and give you everything you could ever ask for. If you’ll just trust me and give me the chance.”

This morning had been her first step toward never feeling in the dark again. Taking control of her future. Owning her actions instead of other ­people’s owning them for her.