Page 51 of Come Here and Kiss Me

I think about so many things at once that I’m bawling now. Tears I can’t stop pour down my cheeks. At one point, I swear he loved me. Back when my mother and he were happy. Back when I was young and I didn’t get into trouble. I was lovable to him once. There has to be some part of me that he would want to love, doesn’t there?

My vision turns blurry as I stare at the screen, then push the laptop away. I grip the covers up around me and use them to wipe my eyes.

I sit on Professor Wolf’s bed, in the room I decorated from floor to ceiling with his money, not mine. He’s everywhere, even down to the bedding.

I can still smell him.

Feel him.

Mind.

Body.

Soul.

The door opens with a soft creak. It’s like my thoughts have called him or something. I can’t look him in the eyes. In a pathetic attempt to wipe my eyes and pretend I’m not crying, I cover my face.His presence is felt before his fingers press under my chin, forcing me to look up.

“What’s wrong?” he instantly asks, kneeling in front of me.

“Ronan…”

“What, kitten? What happened?”

I shove my computer in his direction and haul ass to the bathroom. I don’t want him to see me like this.

Not perfect.

After I splash water on my splotchy face, I take a moment to compose myself. A long moment of silence passes until I walk back into his bedroom a bit more composed. He’s still there. He hasn’t moved from where he was kneeling. I watch as he forwards the email to himself.

“Why did you do that?” I ask what I’m contemplating.

“Do what?”

“Forward it to yourself. What are you going to do with it?” There’s a hint of panic in my tone.

“Don’t worry. I just need it because something happened.”

My already distraught heart drops. “What happened? Something with my dad?”

“I don’t know, but …”

“What?” I press. It’s all feeling too much and too overwhelming.

“The video was leaked to the press.”

My mouth drops open, and I stand there fucking frozen, unable to move an inch. If I do, it’s almost as if I’ll erupt into a million pieces.

“Brooklyn, did you hear me?”

My eyes widened as he adds, “It's an edited video. It’s mostly focused on you, and you can’t tell it’s me.”

He’s edited out. It’s just me. This was just to hurt me. Not him. All this time, I thought it was about him.

I don’t listen to one more word. I pick up my phone from the bed and leave him there still on his knees for me. He doesn’t stop me. Not that I expect him to. With each step I take, I feel the rest of my dignity leave me.This time, my phone pings over and over again as my hands shake uncontrollably. And I ignore them all.

CHAPTER19

Brooklyn

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