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“And why haven’t you hurt me? Why haven’t you left me black and blue like he has?”

Juliet’s face paled at that question. “Because I’m not an abuser, Paige. Because I love you, and I want there to be a future for us. Because…I’m not him.”

“I know that. God, I didn’t mean to even suggest that you were, but…I don’t understand people like him. If he didn’t love me, he only had to tell me, and I could have left.” Paige’s mind started to work overtime. “And then now I’m wondering if this is all my fault? If I’d just gone to the police sooner, I wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You heard that officer. He admitted to what he’d done without a second thought. Does that mean if I’d been stronger, it wouldn’t have come to this? Have…I allowed him to do these things to me?”

Juliet got to her knees beside Paige, dipping her head to meet her eyes. “No. Don’t ever think you’re responsible for this in any way at all. This is on him. All of it. He chose to raise his hands. He chose to hurt you!”

“I wish I’d been stronger,” Paige whispered.

“You are strong, Paige.” Juliet took Paige’s hands, squeezing them when Paige lowered her eyes. “Baby, look at me.”

Paige couldn’t. She didn’t know what the hell was going on, but she couldn’t look Juliet in the eye. She was far too embarrassed.

“Paige.”

She slowly lifted her head, fresh tears rolling down her face. “Y-yeah?”

“It was all him, okay? Everything he did, he made the decision to do it. Every word, every step he took, every…time he touched you.” Juliet’s voice broke, her own emotions close to surfacing. “If I’ve learnt anything since we met, it’s that you have the most beautiful soul. God, nobody makes me laugh the way you do. Nobody makes me feel whole and loved and cared for…the way you do.”

“You mean that, don’t you?” Paige searched Juliet’s eyes, smiling. “I can actually feel how much you mean it.”

“Of course I mean it,” Juliet whispered, chancing a kiss. “I mean everything I’ve ever said to you, Paige.”

“I love you.” Paige toyed with Juliet’s fingers where they rested in her lap. “I don’t know how my life has turned out this way, but I know that I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

* * *

“Okay, what do you fancy for lunch?” Juliet fixed her earrings in place, watching Paige from across the room.

This morning hadn’t been as plain sailing as Juliet hoped it would be, but James had been arrested, and that was the most important thing. She wouldn’t tell Paige, but a weight had been lifted from Juliet’s shoulders. Knowing the police were taking care of James and that Paige could now start to enjoy her life, the biggest weight had fallen from Juliet. Because Paige was her world, and anyone who tried to stand in the way of that would be dealt with in one way or another.

“Maybe the place we first had lunch together?”

Juliet slid her heels on, running her thumbs along the inside of the waistband of her high-waisted pants. “Perfect. I’ll book a table now.” She reached for her phone and brought up the website. “Done.”

“Hey, uh…” Paige chewed her lip when she crossed the space, lowering her coffee cup into the sink on her way. “I was thinking that maybe this could be a date?”

Juliet’s stomach fluttered at that. Paige could consider this anything she wanted to. But yes, a date was perfect. It would be their first official one. But the first of so many. “A date it is.”

“Obviously, we don’t have to make a big deal out of it…”

Juliet reached out a hand, pulling Paige to her. “If I want everyone in this damn city to know that you and I are dating, then I’ll do that.”

Paige blushed, mindlessly playing with a button on Juliet’s blouse. “I’ve never done this.”

“Neither have I. At least, not for a long time.”

“Well, no.” Paige lifted a shoulder. “But you go out to dinner with escorts and stuff, so you’re used to being out in public with another woman.”

Ah. Juliet understood what Paige was saying now. “I see. Well, we can do this at your pace, okay?” She lifted Paige’s chin, giving her a knowing look. “If you need to play this as though we’re just friends, then I won’t be offended. Just until you find your feet, you know?”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Paige said, lacing her fingers with Juliet’s. She guided them towards the door, taking her satchel where it hung. “Do you have everything?”