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

that wasn’t

in line to kill me if or when

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

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

to me.

in the

www

torture, but I can do things now that I couldn’t do

makes it all

and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that, because

since it puts me in greater danger from people like

there are benefits to the new me, if I decide

sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can

seen me- in a way Aaron and

they just not

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

a spiteful way, I just

kind of way.

just need to remember 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

I’m speechless.

but I’m deeply touched by his

you,” I say to him, emotion

gets

few times a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see you

because I hope I

feet, and we stand there

forward

surprised, but then hugs me back, and