Page 38 of My Playboy Neighbor

"Don't care about the staff."His gaze was intense, desperate."I care about you.About explaining."

She studied his face, seeing exhaustion and regret etched in every line.The polished confidence she'd grown accustomed to was completely gone, replaced by vulnerability that made her chest tight.

"You got my messages," he said, and it wasn't quite a question.

"All of them.What you said in those texts—"

"I meant every word."He stepped closer, close enough that she smelled whiskey on him."I looked at the photos.Really looked at them."

"And?"

"And I'm an idiot."His voice cracked slightly."Your pictures are a gift.They're not exploitation or manipulation—they're love made visible."

Tears pricked her eyes, but she forced herself to remain guarded."You accused me of planning to sell them.Called me a stranger."

"I know.And I was wrong.Completely, utterly wrong."He set his coffee aside, his hands clenching at his sides."I was scared.Terrified of what those photos represented."

"Which was?"

"Proof that someone saw me.Really saw me.Not the model, not the brand, but the man underneath all the armor I've spent years building."His voice was tight with emotion."And instead of being grateful for that gift, I lashed out because I couldn't believe someone could see my flaws and still find something worth capturing."

The honesty in his voice was breaking down her defenses faster than she could rebuild them."You hurt me."

"I know.And I'll regret that for the rest of my life."His eyes were bright with unshed tears."But you're the first person who's ever made me want to be better than what I am.You make me want to be real instead of perfect."

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold back the emotions threatening to overwhelm her."Why should I believe you?How do I know you won't just run again the next time things get real?"

He was quiet for a long moment, he searched her face."Because I'm not running now.Because I spent all night thinking about what my life looks like without you in it, and it's empty.Completely fucking empty."

Her resolve wavered at the broken desperation in his voice, but she needed more than just words."That's not enough.I need to understand why you reacted the way you did.Why you immediately assumed the worst about my intentions."

He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his jaw working like he was fighting some internal battle."There's something I need to tell you.About my ex.About Elena."

She'd heard whispers about the allegations, seen the hints on social media, but he'd never mentioned any of it directly.

"I know you've probably heard things," he continued, his voice carefully controlled."About her accusations.About me being violent."

"I heard rumors, but I didn't want to believe—"

"It's complicated."He stepped back, putting distance between them like he was preparing for her to reject him."She's claiming I abused her, and in a way, she's not entirely lying."

Her heart sank."What do you mean?"

"I did hit her.Spanked her, tied her up, dominated her in ways that left marks."His voice was flat, clinical."But it was all consensual.She begged for it, craved it.Elena is what people in the lifestyle call a pain slut—she gets off on being hurt, humiliated, dominated."

She blinked, processing this information."So you're saying—"

"I'm saying she's weaponizing our private relationship to destroy my career.Taking things we did in bed—things she explicitly consented to and enjoyed—and twisting them into something criminal."His hands clenched into fists at his sides."And the worst part?It's working."

She saw the pain and frustration radiating from him, but also something deeper—shame, maybe, or fear.

"Why didn't you defend yourself?Publicly, I mean?"

"Because who's going to believe me?A man accused of domestic violence, claiming it was just kinky sex?"His laugh was bitter."Elena knew exactly what she was doing.She'd done it before, to other men.But I was too fucking stupid to see the pattern."

"What pattern?"

"She seeks out dominant men, lets them think they're protecting her from some abusive ex.Gets them invested, makes them fall for her damaged act.Then when she gets bored or finds someone more interesting, she cries abuse and moves on to the next victim."He looked directly at her."I believed her sob story about her ex Bobby supposedly hitting her.Thought I was being her white knight, her protector.Instead, I was just another mark."

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