Page 5 of Ronny

I lick my dry lips, both surprised and happy. “But I know you’re not ready to be mine the way I want you to be. I will wait for you—I will wait until you’re ready to be mine fully, and trust me, no boys will be touching you.” He winks and my fear is no more.

“I can’t ask you to do that.” It’s not fair for him to wait for me to be ready, because when will I ever be?

He shakes his head. “Me being around you is enough. Don’t think your worth is based on if you can have sex or not with a man. You are so much more than that.”

I could float away, I swear I could fall over dead because this is not what I ever expected from Ronny. “Right now, I will be your protector, your friend, okay? I won’t go anywhere.”

I nod. “If it’s any consolation, I have liked you these last couple years but I was scared to tell you.”

Ronny grins. “That’s good to know. I was prepared to woo you in any way I can to win you over.”

I giggle and a piece of my fractured heart heals, and it’s because of this man in front of me.

Then it hits me that he is saying all of this in front of my dad. I peek over at him to see he is still grinning. “Your parents have raised a good kid.” He slaps Ronny on his shoulder and I know that means a lot to him because, in a way, he just gave Ronny his approval.

“Are you ready to do this?” Ronny asks me, and I nod, putting my hand in his so he can pull me out of the car.

“With you? Yes,” I reply, and he grins.

1

OLIVIA

TWENTY-TWO YEARS OLD

Ronny is moving back home.

I’m in shock because it’s felt like this day would never come. He just won the Stanley Cup as a hockey player and he is the best just at twenty-four years old.

We all had tickets, and I was so nervous for him as I stood right next to his family, holding my breath waiting for him to win.

Then he did.

I have never screamed louder in my life, been happier for someone, more than I have him. He has worked so hard to get to this point in his life, overcome so much, and he did it.

He chased his dream and he accomplished it.

My heart feels like it could burst anytime I think about it. Ronny has never gone back on his word since that day in the car when he declared himself to be mine.

Not once has he ever been in the media around another girl, never ever dated anyone.

He has waited for me and I waited for him. Over the years, I was scared the feelings he had for me would just go away, but they haven’t.

We wanted to wait until I finished collage and got my degree in social work, and I wanted to wait until he accomplished his dreams, and most of all…

He gave me the freedom to heal.

So that when the time came, I was ready. And I am. I have been through so much therapy in my life and I’m at peace with everything that’s happened to me, there is no longer any room in my life for my past.

My dad got remarried, to someone that was a victim of the cult. Maci is wonderful and she is the mother I always wanted. She has a little boy that she had while she was in the cult.

Even if we weren’t in the same town or even the same state, Ronny made sure I was protected. He had prospects on me if I had to travel by myself beyond anywhere local. I decided to attend the college the next town over, and he knew I was scared of being taken again, so he squashed those fears by having someone with me.

He has always thought of the small things, like he would have the prospect bring me breakfast and make sure my car was started on cold mornings.

Even though he wasn’t with me, he made sure I was taken care of. He built a house by the clubhouse, behind the gate with the others, and moved me in.

When he is home, he stays at his mom and dad’s. Ronny is a saint, and I honestly don’t think I deserve him.

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