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"Can we talk about this later?"

Instead of answering, Braden yanked ainst him and crushed his mouth over ue as his hand heldI couldn’t breathe I pushed against his chest, o Well his o," I whimpered, my lips swollen and sore

"No," he breathed harshly "I’ you do this to us I don’t believe for a second I don’tto you"

You don’t have a choice "I can’t do this with you"

"Why?"

"I just can’t"

"Then I don’t accept that"

I struggled in his ar up at him "If I break up with you, you have to accept it!"

Fire-breathing Braden appeared alht there?" a drunk guy drew our attention and we jerked our heads around He was squinting at ether and it suddenly occurred to ht where there were still people around to hear us

"We’re fine," Braden told hiuy looked atthis to descend into a fight--the last thing Braden needed right now--I nodded "We’re cool"

The drunk eyed us again and then deciding we could work it out ourselves, he turned around and started hailing for a cab

I glared back at Braden "Let o"

"No"

"You can’t caveaze as the pain and the lies bubbled up out of me "I care about you, Braden, I do You’re "

"You’re afraid I get it," he bent to ly in my ear "I knohy you ran today, and I knohy you’re running now But shit happens, babe, there’s no protecting against it You also can’t let it take over your life and rule your relationships with people We need to enjoy the ti"

He should you have been a therapist

I tried to letinit Life is short We should be with the people we love"

Braden froze against th to continue the lie Slowly, he pulled away fro"

Yes I’, babe But I won’t survive you And worse, you won’t surviveyou’ve been through you deserve someone who loves you"

His aro He looked shocked I think he was in shock I took the opportunity to step back froo of oddao

But I’d been selfish enough for one day

"You love ulped and forceddifference"

For a , and then his eyes dulled and he gave o?"

He curled his upper lip, his expression painfully bitter as he took a step back from me "Apparently… I never had a hold of you" He turned sharply, and without another word began striding down the street into the dark

Braden never once looked back and that was a good thing

If he had, he’d have seen Jocelyn Butler crying real tears for the first ti ti For anyone who sawa heart in the process of it breaking

"I don’t think that’s the healthiest thing you’ve ever done, Joss, do you?" Dr Pritchard asked quietly, her brows drawn together