Stronger by Ang Chris

Chapter 16

I felt so displayed and exposed. He had walked away again. I tried to stop from crying but anger, frustration, and vulnerability overflowed.

I sunk to my feet covering my mouth keeping all sounds inside. I let them flow down.

*I’m going to cry. I’m going to be upset. This is not what I wanted. Then I’m going to stand up and make sure he doesn’t

see.

I gasped and pressed my l*ps shut. I cleaned up my face. I dried my hair. This is not what I had expected. This is not what I want.

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I finished getting myself ready. I put on baggy clothes wanting to forget he’d seen it all and backed away.

He was in Brians’s room when I got out there and I ate my breakfast in silence. Thankfully I did not have to the scorn on his face.

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I grabbed some of my favorite books from the trunk of the car sitting in my seat and putting in my earbuds turning them up all the way.

I wanted the stories I knew to have a happy ending. I wanted to know if it would all work out for a moment. I would not look at him again. I would not give him an opening to humiliate me.

Resentment, fury, disgust, and embarrassment swilled and stormed chasing around inside of me. I felt like I was suffocating in it all. 1

When we got to the hotel that night I placed a blank card on my face. I would not give away anything.

“Anna?” Ella knocked on the door of my room as we were getting ready to go to dinner.

“Come in,” I took a deep breath and turned to put my hair up halfway to keep it out of my face.

“Are you okay?” she sat down on the bed.

I froze, terrified of what was to follow. He hadn’t. Please tell me he hadn’t.

“Why do you ask?” I closed my eyes trying to stay calm.

“You’ve been so quiet today. I thought you’d be excited we’re finally in Canada. I know we’re barely across the border but.” she shrugged looking at me as if I should explain. “This morning you didn’t say a word and you looked so. Sad or angry I don’t know but you seem upset,”

shrugged as nonchalantly as

her. He kept his dismissal of me to himself. *

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won’t tell Grayson if that’s what you’re worried about. He’s my aloha but you’ll be

6

home,” I falsely responded.

don’t worry. Let’s eat some good food and then tomorrow you’ll meet your people and you’ll see how wonderful it’ll be,” she hugged

me. I didn’t realize how used to

“Of course,”

3

that night. The men had taken it upon themselves to order

bearnaise sauce and a side of shrimp. The food

thought I didn’t see

had left me there n*ked. How did he expect me

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placed his hand on my back and I moved away from him

once.

pretend you didn’t walk away from me like that. In a moment that was pure

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not want to be anywhere near him.

know this

to hear it,” I crawled into

he barked. Stomping over and turning the light in again. “I know it was.

control

happened,” I sat up and looked him in

covered his eyes, annoyed with me.” I am trying to be respectful I

Don’t pretend that you’re trying to be respectful. I don’t know what it is that’s stopping you but if you can’t do something don’t start something. You have no idea how I felt after you left. I’m sorry that this is so hard for you but until

1

accepted me with a hug and put on a rom–com.

the blankets and snuggled in and she sat next to me. I knew she wanted to say something. It probably wasn’t easy to see your leaders argue when they had just found each

Grayson keeping a distance

getting ready I think enough time had passed and her

seriously. He lives his life for the pack and we all are lucky to have

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of everyone I had met so far and that was a good sign

now jeeps. The road