When the tears fell, I found it hard not to want to cr

y with her. To tell her it was okay. She’d be okay. But I couldn’t. Because in truth, some things stuck around and, though I hoped Jane could one day move on, this was one of those things that may be dug up and thrown in her face over and over.

That was why I was here. To let her know that if there was anything at all I could do to make her feel better, let her know there were people in her corner, I would. Obviously her mother loved her and supported her.

“I didn’t know he was taking the video, but that doesn’t matter. I can’t take it back. I’m ruined.”

“No, you’re not.” I grabbed her hand. “You’re a good person. People make mistakes.”

Jane shook her head. “I should have known better. I just . . . Bill said this was the only way. That if I wanted to keep my internship, get a job down the line, this is what all interns had to do.” She sobbed a little harder. “I needed that job. It’s just me and my mom and she isn’t doing so great. The chemo really takes it out of her and I want to help her. There are so many medical bills, she can’t work the way she used to, and I have so much debt in student loans—”

“Shhh.” I rubbed her back when her words cut off from a violent sob. “It’s okay.”

“I wanted . . . something better. Wanted to help my mom . . . wanted to save her.”

“I know,” I whispered.

I wanted to smash Bill’s face in. He used this poor girl. Made promises and threats. Then humiliated her.

“Everyone thinks I’m a terrible person.”

“I don’t think that, Jane. And your mother doesn’t think that either. You are a great person.” I patted her hand.

“Y-you really think so?”

I nodded.

There was a look of relief in her eyes and in that moment, something struck me so deep it was like seeing clearly for the first time. One person’s honest belief in you could change the scope of your world. You just had to be brave enough to admit the whole truth.

“Thank you for coming, Paige.”

I nodded. If there was any comfort I could have offered Jane, I was happy to do it. But she left me with something greater than I could ever explain. Reality.

It was time I stopped being afraid.

Chapter Nineteen

After talking with Jane until well into the evening, there was only one other place I needed to be. I burst through Leo’s bedroom door, not bothering to knock. He was standing with a towel around his waist as drops of water sluiced from his chest to his stomach. It took everything I had not to get caught up in the wet Greek’s amazing body.

“I need you to shut up for a minute,” I said when he opened his mouth. He clamped it shut and I quickly recapped my thoughts. Because if I didn’t make this fast, I’d never do it.

“You were right. I don’t let people see the real me, because the real me isn’t a good person.” He took a step toward me but didn’t speak. “Something happened when I was younger. My stepfather tried to . . .” I closed my eyes for a moment and mustered the courage to say the word out loud. The word I had thought, but hadn’t spoken since my mother denied what I was saying.

“He tried to rape me.” I heard what sounded like a growl from Leo but I went on. “I fought him off, and when I told my mom, she didn’t believe me.” I shook my head. “No one knows all the details. Not even my friends. I have my own life now and I like being in control. I don’t stay the night, I don’t like people, I don’t even like myself a lot of the time—”

My throat caught on that last part, because the honesty was staggering.

“I walk away, Leo. That’s what I do. And I operate with logic and reason. And I don’t trust. I make decisions based on effect and impact and damage control.” I looked him in the eyes. “And I don’t give anyone a reason to think I’m weak.”

He took another step toward me, blue, blazing eyes fused to mine.

“So, I just wanted to tell you. I don’t expect anything from you, but I thought I would just . . . say this out loud.”

When he was right in front of me, I could smell his damp skin, sweet with soap.

“Thank you for telling me,” he whispered. I looked up at him, frowning, and he grinned. “Just so we’re clear, I’ve known from day one there isn’t a damn thing weak about you, Red.”

He ran his thumb along my lip.

Tags: Joya Ryan Sweet Torment Romance
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