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"Right." Why do I keep doing this to myself? My heart aches thinking about what he was doing in those hours.

This is what my life is going to be. I can’t let my head get caught up in his kisses that make me forget everything else. I need to harden myself to him. I should really get the message because the man disappears for days!

“I’m sorry, Tova.” I can hear the defeat in her tone. “I can get you out.”

“Marks.” I let out a sigh. “There is no out. I have no choice. I have to marry him.” My phone is plucked from my fingers. I let out a small scream, spinning around to see Warren standing there.

The moon casts shadows over the hard lines of his face, making him appear harsher. Even in the dim night light, I can tell he's livid. Well, that makes two of us. What the heck does he have to be mad about?

“Give me my phone.” I hold my hand out.

“Who are you speaking to?”

“That’s none of your business.” There, I told him. Let’s see how he likes not knowing something when it comes to me.

“It is not my concern thatmyfiancée is secretly making midnight calls to a man who is attempting to dissuade her fromourwedding.” He takes a step closer to me. I retreat backwards. His nostrils flare.

“It’s not midnight,” I say, knowing damn well that it’s going to piss him off.

“You need to be real careful right now, little mouse.”

“Why? What will you do to me?” I don’t know where the sudden bravado comes from. Actually, I do. It’s from my anger.

"Anything I want." I audibly swallow. I hate that tears burn in my eyes. I fight them with everything I have.

"Right." A humorless laugh leaves me. "Can I have my phone back?" I keep my hand out. He must have ended the call when he took the phone from me because the screen is lighting up with a call from Marks.

"Who is it?"

"It's none of your business!" I hiss at him, trying to hold on to my anger and not let sadness bleed in. Ha! Is he really pissed because he thinks I'm talking to a man? That's rich after where he spent his evening. The night before our wedding.

"You're about to make it my business."

Oh, shit. There’s no doubt in my mind that Warren will without a doubt track Marks down if I don’t tell him what he wants to know.

"Okay, it's my friend. A girl."

"Mark?"

"Marks," I correct him. "It's a nickname, but it is a girl. Okay?" I thrust my hand out again, but he doesn't make a move to give me the phone back. Instead, I watch as he powers my phone off before slipping it into his back pocket. "I guess I can't have anything."

"You'll get your phone back. After I check into things."

"Please don't." I step toward Warren. "Leave her out of this. She's the only friend I have."

"It's my job to protect you. You've never met this friend. She could be anyone."

"How do you know I've never met her?"

Warren is quiet for a long second. "It would have had to have been years ago." Still not sure how he could be so sure about that, but whatever.

"Please don't do this. She's my only friend." I hate how pathetic I sound.

"Whose idea was it to sneak out?"

"I'm an adult."

"So it was hers." I clench my teeth. We stare at each other, neither of us saying a word. Warren is eerily still.