Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 313

He holds out his hand and I take it, shaking.

His grip is firm and cool, and there’s something almost comforting about it.

“I’m Emily,” I tell him in return.

His smile deepens. “That’s a pretty name.”

I laugh at this.

Ronan might be too charming for his own good.

“I think it’s pretty basic myself, but you’re welcome to your opinion.”

He gives a quick, friendly laugh.

“So, Emily, what has you out here looking so down on a day like today?”

I take a slow breath, working out how I can explain without sounding crazy.

“Something bad happened to me, something traumatizing,” I begin, choosing my words carefully. “Something that went on for a long time. I finally got out just recently, and now my family are treating me like I’m fragile and broken. Maybe because I am.

7

But I don’t want to be. And I can’t stay with my family, I can see that. It’s just not going to work. They’ll hate me when the realize the truth of everything that happened to me. Except I don’t know what to do, and don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Ronan nods, listening with sympathy and understanding.

And I realize it’s something no one has bothered to do since I got home.

They all just assume they know what happened to me, and what they should do about it.

have that moment

that wasn’t

than anyone–would be first in line to kill me if or when the truth

fragile to me. Truthfully, I’m pretty sure the fact that you’re here talking to me points to you actually being extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like empty words, but I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll see that you came out stronger

think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might be stronger for what happened

to me.

not in the way

www

but I can do things now that

saying that makes

back and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly say what I’ve gained makes it

me in greater

if I decide

no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because you don’t want them

stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and Axel and everyone else maybe

just not

was gone for ten years, so they’ve all moved on without me–that they just don’t

in a spiteful way, I

kind of way.

not you,” Ronan says conspiratorially, leaning forward a little. “It’s also their loss if they can’t see any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that to yourself. You don’t need to prove it to anyone

I’m speechless.

don’t know what to say, but I’m deeply touched

you,” I say to him, emotion catching in my

as he gets

a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see you

hope

also get to my feet, and we stand there

step forward and hug him.

seems surprised, but then hugs me back, and it’s nice.