Page 62 of Tying the Knot
She shakes her head sadly. “No, all of this has been about anger and adrenaline.”
“I think this is the real you, and the ball of anxiety is whattheymade you think and turned you into as a result.” I hesitate to say my next words but follow through. “This is typical narcissistic sociopathic behaviour, Morgan. They gaslighted you into believing all of these things that weren’t true.”
“I’ve realised that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Fuuuuck’s sake, Dylan,” she snaps. “Stop it.”
“Sorry.”
We both burst out laughing, and then she leans forward to kiss me. “Thank you for believing I’m stronger than I am.”
“You are, and with us, you will flourish. I can promise you that. We will never treat you the way they did. It’s sick and evil. You are to be treasured, not manipulated.”
“Do you know how long the others will be? I want to pick up where we left off.” Her heated gaze alerts my dick that hot sex is on the horizon.
“Me too. But I think they’ll be a while yet. Your involvement in getting Pierce to give up their supplier is huge.”
She sighs. “Bummer.”
“Huge one...” I bite my lip. “But I’m here.”
She snickers. “Won’t they be annoyed?”
“Are we annoyed that you and Eli had time alone?”
She shakes her, scrunching her nose up. “I don’t think so?”
I grab her fingers. “The answer is an unequivocal no, Morgan. There is no expectation for you to be with all of us all of the time. If you want alone time, then take it.”
She gives me a sly glare. “Are you just saying that?”
I let out a loud laugh. “No, honestly, I know Elijah, Nik, and Kaleb won’t be mad if we had some time alone now. Just as I wasn’t mad earlier, and I won’t be when you’re with Nik and Kaleb later. In fact, I think it’s agoodidea to have them alone. You haven’t interacted much with them. Alone is probably better first, don’t you think?”
She nods slowly, a sad frown adorning her features. “I was never allowed to except with Adam. Pierce and I did once, and Adam locked me in my room for a day, and I’m pretty sure he beat Pierce up. They said it was a mugging, but I know for sure now it was Adam.” She lets out a sudden, loud sob. “How could I be so stupid? How did I notseewhat it was?”
“Because you loved them, and they manipulated you. You are not stupid, you are perfect and gorgeous, and you were taken advantage of.”
“Maybe when I was younger, but I’m thirty fucking one now, Dylan. Christ. How blind can you be?”
I exhale loudly.
“Not you, me.”
“I didn’t think you meant me. I’m just trying to think of another way I can get it through your pretty blonde head that none of this was your fault. You are not to blame for any of it.”
“You don’t need to keep reassuring me. I’m an adult. I can sort my own shit out. In fact, you will not hear about this from me ever again.”
“No, that’s not how it works. It affected you, and you need to work through it.”
“Why are you so nice?” She looks genuinely perplexed.
“I’m not nice. I am a badass law enforcement officer,” I say, mock affronted. “But this is what normal people are like. Especially with the people they care about.”
She laughs, and it reaches her eyes, so my job is done. I lean forward and kiss her nose.
“Thank you, Dylan. I’m glad I have you.”
