“Do you think that would bother me?” Devon asks, pushing his hair back. He’s in disbelief. “If you told me you never wanted me to touch you again, I’d love you from however far you asked.”

He’s not a good man—far from it—but for you he’ll do anything. The fact you exist makes him able to breathe. So why wouldn’t you just tell him you don’t want to be touched? Devon would never get mad over something like that. You could leave him right now and all he’d ask is for you to be happy.