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.

I did have that moment with Axel

that wasn’t

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

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

but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider

to me.

in the

www

were literally torture, but I can do things now

makes

to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly say what

in greater danger

the new me, if I decide to look at it

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 want them to see.”

me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and Axel and everyone else maybe

they just not

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

I don’t mean in a spiteful way, I just mean in an

kind of way.

it’s them, 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 else, even if they are

I’m speechless.

say, but

you,” I say to him, emotion

gets

a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see

because I hope I do see him

we stand

I step forward

seems surprised, but then hugs me back,