Bad Love An Alpha’s Regret

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.

just assume they know what happened to me, and what they should do about it.

have that moment

wasn’t

be first in line to

says thoughtfully. “You don’t seem broken and fragile to 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 bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like empty words, but I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll see that you

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

to me.

not in the

www

were literally torture, but I can do things now that

makes it

I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly say what I’ve gained makes it all okay.

puts me in greater danger

maybe there are benefits to the new me, if I decide

sense 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

me- in a

they just not

I was gone for ten years, so they’ve all moved on without me–that they

in a spiteful way, I just mean

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

I’m speechless.

don’t know what to say, but I’m deeply

say to him, emotion catching in my

he gets to his

a week,” he says. “Maybe

reply, smiling, because I hope I do see him

and we stand there looking at each other.

step forward and hug him.