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.

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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 with Axel earlier…

wasn’t real..

in line to

to you actually being extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like

don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might

to me.

is right. Just not in the way he probably

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torture, but I can do things now that

not saying that makes it all worthwhile.

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

puts me in greater danger from people

new me, if I

continues in a sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling

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

they just not

in their own drama–and I was gone for ten

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

kind of way.

any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that to yourself. You don’t need to

I’m speechless.

don’t know what to say, but I’m deeply touched by his words.

say to him, emotion catching

as he gets to

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

reply, smiling, because I hope I do see

feet, and we

I step forward

then hugs