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.

to

I did have that moment

that wasn’t

he–more than anyone–would be first in line to kill

extremely strong and brave. You survived

don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider

to me.

right. Just not in the way he probably means.

www

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

not saying that makes it

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

greater

I decide to look at it from a different perspective.

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

in a way Aaron and Jessica

just not

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

mean in a spiteful way, I just mean

kind of way.

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

I’m speechless.

know what to say, but

I say to him, emotion catching in my voice.

as he gets to his feel.

week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see you

because I hope I do

also get to my feet, and we stand there looking at each

step forward and hug