F o r t y - e i g h t

"Well fuck," I can't stand this. About an hour ago, I was buying her jewelry, thinking it would be okay with me consenting her a little bit, and this situation turns up, and she denies my help? Fucking unbelievable. "Don't fucking mind me then."

"You're cursing too." I can't. Not with her. I can't argue with her. One minute she's crying in my arms now she's pushing me away and telling me she doesn't need me.

"What do you want me to do then?" Whatever she thought boyfriends should do, she got it wrong. I'm in this for good, I don't know her, but I saw myself with her in the near future with the forever thing tied together.

"I don't know. Right now, I don't know anything."

We just sit there. I'm far too infuriating thing straight. I just wanted to offer my help to keep her close. I would have never thought of this reaction.

"I have been looking for another job, ever since Beck-."

"Don't say his fucking name." The sole mention of the little prick makes my blood boil. I pull her to me, her face in my hands, her eyes wet with tears. For a second, I watch her face constrict, switch her fake strong face to her hurt doe eyes.

"Since he left I've been struggling to make it to the end of the month." Now she tells me, now when the rope is all wrapped up around her neck. I should just put her over my knee and spank some sense into her.

"What are you going to do now?" I start, trying to get the mental image of her naked ass ruby red under my palms. "The bills won't stop coming to knock your door."

"I know that! Don't you think I know that?" She snaps, throwing her arms up.

"Then why won't you let me help you?" She walks back when I explode once again. We are pacing around her tiny bedroom, feeling like a caged tiger. I turn and lean onto her doorframe and wait until she turns to me and sighs. "Words, Dolores. I need words baby. Either you talk to me or we won't get anywhere."

She bites her lips and looks away.

"Because. Because I don't want to become one of those women." She whispers a big fat tear rolls down her cheek.

"What are you talking about?" My hand itches, I want to get closer, but she's in a place where she doesn't want me close. Wishing to respect her wishes, I ball my fists and wait for her answer.

"Kept. Maintained. I don't want to just be someone who asks her, her bo-boyfriend for money." Okay. I wasn't sure she was going to take it that good, me being her boyfriend. I'm not sure if I'm smiling, grinning like an idiot, or scowling at her.

"I'm giving it to you!" I'm about to start pulling out all my hair; this situation is fucking unbelievable. Never in my life has someone said no to help. If I could, I would give her the fucking moon, Mars, if it was mine to give.

"It's the same damn thing." She's raising her voice, tears are still rolling down her cheeks, but her shoulders no longer sag. She's strong, I know; this is a small pebble on her way. The thing that hurt me the most was that she didn't think of me. Dolores didn't ask me for help. For fuck's sake. Why was this woman so damn proud? Is just fucking money. I had too much for my own good, too much to spend in a lifetime, and me wanting to share it, I gave it for free. I had given it to whiling women. Hell, they fought for it, hard, and here I was, literally begging her to take it.

"So, what you're going to do?"

I look up. Dolores is looking at me, her mouth a hard line and her eyes wide. I know she's worried, and she's picturing all the possible scenarios that could happen. Probably imagining only herself, not even thinking about me in the slightest. I wanted to help her so much, but she kept pushing me away.

I'm going to buy that damn company and give it to her. I'm going to put her damn name on the contract and force her to take it. Even if I have to shackle her and force her to sign.

"I'm not sure." With her arms crossed over her chest, she started rocking back and forth. "I don't want to tell my parents, they will for sure offer me money. I have to pay the rent, and my card, and my lo-loan." A tear rolled down her cheek. She flicked her off as soon as it appeared. "Fuck. Those bastards. I work extra hours, I do weekends and stay up late and they freaking fire me. ME." Her lip trembles, and she starts sobbing. Her eyes are all red and puffy.

Fuck this. I can't just stand here waiting for her to do anything.

"Grab a suitcase."

"What?" She's startled. Jumping off the bed gave me a weird-out stare.

"Suitcase. Get some clothes and let's go."

"No." Her voice falters. It is obvious she's tired of fighting. Her bottom lip trembles, and I notice that the redness of her face has gone a little bit.

"No?" She's very pale now. Eating from cans, working her ass off in the last couple of months. Me being away hasn't helped; constantly traveling wasn't new to me. Getting used to being away that had been the hard part. A few minutes on the phone and a couple of days with her hadn't been enough.

She wanted me to woo her, and I had dates and presents from gift shops, small souvenirs like she had asked had filled up her small space dedicated for them. Also, in that time away, she had withered slowly, become thinner and sadder. A now, after all her fighting, the inevitable it had happened. I wasn't going to let her consume herself.

"I'm not asking Dolores, grab the damn bag and let's get going." I pulled her close, "You obviously don't know what's good for you so I'm making your decisions for now on."