Page 195 of Losing Faith

I shake my head at his words. “I was with her all night, Sire. How?” I look back over at Lisette now, searching my brain for something I could have missed.

He shifts his glare to Lisette and she turns her face away from him. “She probably tried to sober up after the photoshoot, foughtall dayand after she did, she felt good, but then she couldn’t sleep. She climbed out of bed, and said she needed to use the bathroom.”

My heart sinks as I watch the tears build in her eyes as he recites exactly what happened yesterday.

“She got high, but most likely woke up a few hours ago and just needed one more. Then she woke up this morning with the prettiest smile on her face.”

I feel my shoulder slouch. “Get down, Lissy.”

She shakes her head repeatedly as she buries her face in my neck again. “Please,” she pleads.

“Get down so we can talk.” I drop my hands to my side, but with her grip, she remains around me. “Lisette.” I tap her hip and she picks her head up, tear tracks on her cheeks and my heart nearly breaks.

“Okay.”

I nod gently before hugging her again.

“Jesus Christ.” Sire covers his face with his hands before he snaps. “It’s crocodile tears, Jackson. Isa pulls this shit on you every other week and you don’t see it with her either. She’s an addict. She’slyingto you and those aren’t real tears.”

“Shut up, Sire!” The anger in her voice is almost unrecognizable. When she turns to me, her eyes are soft again and her tears are back. It’s like watching two different people.

“I want to stay with you.” She leans forward to kiss me, but I lean away.

“Why?”

“What?” Her brows furrow and as she rubs my facial hair, I move her hand.

“Why do you want to stay with me?” I ask again.

She sniffles quietly as she kisses my hand. “I don’t want to fight. I’m tired of fighting.”

Sire opens his mouth, but I put a hand up as I respond. “He doesn’t want to fight with you.”

She keeps her eyes low and I hold her chin, tilting her head up to me. “I’m happy here with you,” she confesses.

“You’ve been high and drunk here with me,” I correct her.

Her eyes drop and it’s clear her mind runs with a hundred different things. She lets out a sigh before her eyes meet mine. “You’re right.” She nods gently as she cups my face and runs her thumb to smooth out my eyebrow. “I just needed one day of quiet, but I’m done.” She looks between my eyes and I want to believe her. So badly that I nearly do.

“I promise, JJ.” She meets my eyes and I can feel myself slipping. “I don’t have any more pills with me. I took the last one this morning. You can dump the rest of the alcohol I have and I’ll stay here with you. I won’t leave and I’ll get sober. I’ll be better for you. For Belle.”

When I see the tears building in her eyes again, I force my eyes shut and weigh my options.

“I just—” Her voice breaks and there goes my heart,shatteringat the pain I can hear. “I just need someone to believe in me.”

“I believe in you,” Sire says from beside us.

When I look back at Lis, Sire reaches for her face, but she moves away from his touch. He shakes his head before he drops his hand.

“Why don’t you want to come with me?” He sounds torn as he keeps his eyes on her.

“I want Jackson.”

“I never said you couldn’t come back. Why are you so opposed to coming with me?”

She doesn’t answer him.

Sire leans over to catch her eyes with his, but she looks away before resting her forehead on me again.

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