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.

that moment with Axel earlier…

that wasn’t

line

being extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through.

know I’m definitely different, but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might be stronger

to me.

right. Just not in the

www

I can do things now that I couldn’t do

makes it all worthwhile.

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

puts me in greater danger from people like Axel.

the new me, if I decide to look at it from

that you’re special, Emily,” Ronan continues in a sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because you don’t

how much this stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and

they just

simply so caught up in their own drama–and I was gone for

spiteful way, I just mean in an

kind of way.

little. “It’s also their loss if they can’t see any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that to yourself.

I’m speechless.

don’t know what to say, but

him, emotion catching in

smiles as he gets to his feel.

a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll

I reply, smiling, because I hope I do see him

get to my feet, and we stand there looking

forward and hug

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