Page 93 of Dear Grumpy Boss

“I don’t accept that.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “I know you saw the texts. Steve’s girl told him, and I get why you’re mad, but—”

“Go!” she yelled. “Don’t say anything else. Just go!”

The pain lashing through her words alerted me. What the hell had this guy done to her?

Patrick staggered back. “Elise. God, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Please,pleaselet me explain.”

Suddenly, I almost felt sorry for him. He was just now coming to the realization he wasn’t going to get her back. Whatever he’d done, the damage had been permanent, and it was hitting him like a tidal wave.

I held my hand out to her. She slipped her warm palm into mine, and I drew her forward, kissing her temple.

“She’s mine now. All taken care of. You had four years to treat her right, and you failed at the task. You made her feel so unsafe, so unwelcome in her own home, she moved across the country to get away from you. But I have her now. I recognize how lucky I am to even be allowed to stand beside her. It’s too bad you didn’t, but your loss is my gain. So you can go. You’re not needed here.”

He stared at her with wide, shining eyes. If he cried, I wouldn’t have blamed him. Losing Elise had to be gut-wrenching. But from the sound of it, he’d done it to himself.

“I love you, Elise, but I can see I’m hurting you. Even if you’re finished with me, I think we need to have a conversation. I can’t force you, though. The ball’s in your court now, sweetheart. I’ll wait to hear from you.” He swiped at his eyes. “And so you know, I am disgusted with myself for the way I treated you. I will never stop regretting it.”

She nodded, but that was her only response. After an eternity, Patrick walked away, and I pulled Elise against my chest so she didn’t have to watch him.

“Everyone will see us,” she mumbled.

“Doesn’t matter.” I made long strokes up and down her back until her body slowly loosened and curved into mine. “I’m taking you home.”

“Okay.”

Elise was in my penthouse, and I had no idea what to do with her.

I wanted her happy. I was still trying to figure out how to make that happen, but I wouldn’t stop until I reached my goal.

She was wandering around my living room, trailing her fingers over the furniture and stopping to examine the art on my walls.

“You have so much space,” she said, awed.

“More than I need.”

“Yeah.” She peered out the floor-to-ceiling windows. “It’s beautiful, though. Not cold and stark.”

With a short laugh, I cocked my head. “Did you assume I’d want a cold and stark home?”

She spun around, starting toward me. “I suppose I didn’t think about it very hard, but no, I don’t think you’d want that. You’re not cold.” Her hands smoothed up my lapels. “Thank you for being there for me. I’m sorry you got pulled into all that, but I’m not sorry you were there.”

“Don’t thank me for that.”

She laughed. “Don’t growl at me for thanking you.”

“I didn’t know I had.” I swiped my thumb along her cheek. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” She groaned. “Well, not really. That was so awful. I imagined what it would be like if he found me, but that was so, so real. He’s not doing well.”

“But you are, aren’t you?”

Her eyes were wet when they met mine, but she nodded. “I am. I’ve spent this time walking through it and making myself better. I don’t think he’s done that.”

My jaw hardened at the sound of her worry. “My concern doesn’t lie with him.”

“I know.” A slow smile spread across her lips. “You were right. You do make me feel safe.”

“Good.” If I couldn’t make her happy, at least I could make her feel safe. “What I said to Patrick wasn’t untrue, you know. While you’re not mine, I do feel lucky to have you and that I get to know you again. His fuck up is definitely my most valuable gain.”

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