“I think I’ve responded to that, Aaron,” I told him.

“I got rid of Tory for you,” he snapped.

Got rid of?

I pressed my lips together, chanting in my head, do not get mad, do not get mad, do not get mad.

I got a hold on it and said carefully, “I’m sorry you’ve broken up. That must be hard.”

He threw up his hands and hissed, “What do you want? She’s gone. She was a mistake. I don’t even know what I was thinking. But it’s done. I’m giving you money. I’m being cool about that fucking guy. Do you want me on my knees? Do you want me to beg? Do you want an apology in skywriting? What the fuck do you want?”

“I told you what I want, Aaron,” I reminded him, trying to do it calmly.

He leaned toward me. “This is the best thing for our son. For us. For you.”

I held my ground and his gaze when I replied, “I think I know better what’s best for me.”

“Yes?” He leaned back, throwing a hand toward the hall. “And he’s it? Carson fucking Steele. High school loner. High school loser. Biker gang member. What kind of life is he going to give you, Carissa?”

He was going too far, saying those things about Joker.

I knew I shouldn’t engage. I knew it.

But I did anyway.

“He won’t cheat on me, for one,” I replied, and Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “He loves me, for another, really, truly, in the sense that it’s genuine. In the sense that I believe in it… totally. In the sense that I believe in it in a way I know in my heart of hearts it’s forever. Then there’s the fact he doesn’t ask me to change my dress for one he thinks is more appropriate. There’s also the fact he doesn’t look down on my job. He loves my son just like he’s his own. He has fantastic friends who are loyal and care a lot about him, something he earned. He’s talented. He has a great job that he’s so good at, even Wilde and Hay know it, which is why they want to do an article about his work.”

Aaron stared at me.

“But in the end,” I carried on, “I really shouldn’t be asked to explain this because it’s really none of your business.”

“I can give you a better life,” Aaron told me.

“I already know that’s not true,” I retorted, and Aaron’s face turned to stone.

“I love you too, Riss,” he bit out.

I now knew what love was.

And I knew I gave that to Aaron.

He just didn’t give it back.