Page 56 of Twisted Bonds
"Bring her here to the house, so I can give her a session…"
I spin on my father. "I know what your session consists of, and I will not bring Ryan over here, so you can fuck her after whipping her."
"I never said that would happen, Beau. I can teach you how to do it!"
"Do you honestly think I could use a whip on her after what I had to endure at Liam's? God, what the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Then you need to let her go, Beau. She needs this, and if you refuse to do it, I will, whether you like it or not. I love her too much to let her suffer!"
I swing and hook my father in the jaw, making him stumble back. "You stay the fuck away from her!"
I don't wait for him to say anything else before leaving the Manor. Stopping down at the building that Ryan's office is in, I go straight to her office but stop just outside of the door when I hear her talking to someone. I recognize the other voice belonging to her friend Liv.
"You have to tell him, Ryan. It's unfair of you to let him think you will get better without the sessions."
"It doesn't matter, Liv. He won't help me in that way. I thought he was going to that first night, but then he backed off and left me alone in the room after he had me turned on. He chickened out the moment he had to hurt me in any way."
"That isn't as easy as you think for some of us. You can't fault us for that, Ryan," Liv states.
"I understand that, so I told him to leave, but he refuses."
"That's when you know the man loves you, when he knows what you've done, and he still wants to stay with you."
"Yeah, well, I'm afraid that love isn't going to be enough this time," Ryan states, and I jerk back.
She was serious about me leaving? No, I can't accept this. I'm going to fix it…no matter what it takes.
Ryan and I are quiet the whole way home. I ended up going back out to my truck instead of letting her know that I was there outside her office. When I texted her that I was heading back home, I asked if she was working a full day or wanted to head back with me. Thankfully, she chose to come home.
"Do you have anything in mind for dinner later?" I ask as we walk up the walkway to the front door.
"No, not really."
I unlock the door and let her in ahead of me. As soon as I shut it, I grab Ryan's hand. "I would like to take you out if you'll let me."
"I don't know, Beau. I'm not really up to going out in public these days." She can't even look at me.
Pulling her to me, I take her chin and make her look. "Do you not feel anything for me, Ryan? Do you really want this to be how we end?"
"I never said that," she whispers.
"No, but it's how you're acting. You're not allowing us a chance; you won't talk to me…"
"Beau, I don't know what you want from me..."
"I want you to tell me what you need; I want you to talk to me like you used to! I can't help if you don't tell me anything!" My voice raises with irritation.
When anger begins to rise within, I let go of Ryan before I do something I'll regret. She stands there emotionless as she stares back at me, and it's at this moment that I feel the loss of her love. Backing away slowly, I feel the loss deep in my soul.
"I should have died in that basement," I choke out. "It would have been a much better death knowing that you loved me than living with the knowledge that I no longer have your heart." I turn and head for the stairs. "I'll pack a bag and get out of your hair. You win, Ryan, I'm leaving."
I'm halfway up the stairs when I hear her mumble something, and I stop, thinking I heard her wrong. "What did you just say?"
"I said that it wasn't a lie."
"What wasn't a lie?"
"About my heart…"
