Page 41 of Runaway Girl
“Don’t be scared, love. Just promise me… one text, Alicia.”
He was serious, purely based on his stubborn mask that seemed to solidify with each passing second. I didn’t have the energy to push back against it.
I was overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted. I wanted my apartment, my family and my favourite oversized hoodie—that may or may not have formerly belonged to the man staring back at me like he wasdying.
Nope, don’t go there.
“Okay,” I said, conceding.For now.
Ethan simply lifted our joined hands and kissed the back of mine before he murmured, “Goodbye, Alicia.”
I detached myself and walked into the foyer, spine straight, gaze forward. I knew if I looked back, gave into that one glance, I’d run back to his side and never leave again.
But when I heard his car pull away and disappear in the distance, my soul screamed out, and my body followed suit.
Firm, weathered hands held onto my trembling frame, shepherding me into the elevator.
“Burt? Is love worth all this heartache?”
He pressed the button to my floor and gave up a sympathetic but genuine smile. “Always, kid. I’d do anything to relive those times with Imogen. Even the bad ones. She was worth all the heartache… Ishe?”
Chapter 24
ETHAN
My gaze flicked from the overhead lights to the encroaching camera lens, nerves simmering through my system, begging me to up and leave immediately.
“Are you comfortable, Ethan? Do you need anything before we start?” Veronica asked, leaning forward in the chair directly across from me.
She looked sincere despite the tense environment. The television crew had created a simple setting for our one-on-one interview. The room was minimal, with two chairs and a side table for water. That was it.
I didn’t want a big show and dance. Just a platform where I could tell my story in the most transparent and straightforward way possible.
And as one of media’s leading journalists, there was no way Veronica was going to pass up the opportunity to interview Ethan Harris—especially at the height of his legal battle with his own mother.
Frankly, I didn’t care who was on the other side asking the questions, as long as they were in direct competition with the network that interviewed Audrey.
An assistant behind the scenes called out a two-minute countdown before we were live.
My hands clenched into fists on top of my thighs, in an effort to stay my trembling limbs.
I knew this was a gamble, addressing everything on such an open forum. But I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t settle this the way it started. The time had come to address my issues just as publicly as I had back then.
To bolster my confidence, my memory relayed valuable pieces of advice that left a lasting impression, from both Dad and Owen.
“There’s only so long you can blame your mother until you have to take responsibility for yourself… Tell the truth. Be vulnerable. If Alicia’s everything you say she is, fight for her, Ethan.”
And that’s what I intended to do—fight to the fucking last for my girl.
“She needs more from you. Alicia needs to know why you did what you did, and why you’ve acted the way you have. Otherwise, what’s stopping this from repeating in the future? When you get overwhelmed or when something becomes too much for you, what are you going to do to keep yourself from panicking and lashing out again?”
Ever since I had lost Alicia, I had initiated a change for the better. Sure, I was in the preliminary stages and still had a long way to go, but she was at least owed an explanation and an honest apology.
“Ethan?” Veronica asked, pulling me back to the present. The chamber was silent, everyone waiting for my reply as I’d missed the cue—the cameras were rolling.
Showtime!
Readjusting my posture, I gathered my thoughts and settled my attention on the task before me. “I guess I’m a bit nervous. I don’t know where to start.”
