Page 50 of Tangled Rose

My face becomes hot as blood infuses my cheeks. I set down my pencil. “Yeah. It was pretty bad. I’m sure you’ll hear all about it. Word has probably spread through half the school already.” Trying to control the wild embarrassment running through me, I meet his gaze.

Beau’s eyes burn hot and hard into mine. As we take a few seconds to study each other, I know I want nothing more in this moment than to feel his lips on mine, for him to wrap me up in the comfort of his arms. I want something—anything—to make me forget, or at the very least, ease the sting of all this humiliation. “Come upstairs with me. Please?”

He blows out a hard breath. “Okay.”

I glance back at Darla over my shoulder. She watches me with concern as Beau follows me out of the room.

Upstairs, after only a moment’s hesitation, I choose my room and we go in together. I shut the door and lean back against it, unsure how much I should say. I’ve only known Beau a short time, but for whatever reason, I trust he has my back.

My breath stutters as I push away from the door and walk toward him. “I feel like I’m going to break into a whole lot of pieces.”

He reaches out, his fingers gently caressing my cheek. “Then let me hold you so you don’t fall apart.” With a swallow, he closes the distance between us, pulling me roughly against his chest. He kisses the top of my head before he picks me up and climbs onto the bed with me.

I’ve never felt safer than with Beau Danbrook’s body curled around mine. And I can tell he’s trying to give me time, but this is hard. So damn hard. With a deep breath, I let a bunch of my problems spill out. “My mom showed up at the meeting after school today. She wasn’t supposed to be there, but Mandy somehow got her number and contacted her.” My breath hitches before admitting the truth. “Beau, I didn’t want her to come. I hated that she was there.”

He shifts, peering at me. “The fuck?”

“I don’t want to go into details and told Max as much, too. I wouldn’t have said anything to him at all if he hadn’t seen the look on my face when he picked me up.”

Sensing that’s all I’m going to say, he whispers, “What can I do?”

I shake my head as tears slip from my eyes. “Nothing. You can’t do anything.” A sob I was trying to hold back bursts forth. It feels as if my entire body is folding in on itself, the pain so sharp, it slices through me. Mortified by my tears, I struggle in Beau’s arms.

But he only holds me more tightly. “Shh. I’ve got you. Lyla, I’ve got you.”

And somehow, those words are enough.

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