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"Everyone kneas me People had watched the video all weekend and passed it around The video showed me clearly but the boys were off ca instead of audio so you couldn’t hear their voices to identify them" She lowered her voice to a whisper "Nine Inch Nails’--I Wanna Fuck You Like an Animal Theyprinted out over the screen in big letters…You let me violate you--You let me desecrate you--You let me penetrate you--"

She faltered and my heart just broke in two for what she’d suffered I knew only how much I wanted to make it work between us I stopped her then I had to I couldn’t listen to any more and restrain myself in public We needed privacy for this I just wanted to take her houred out later

I squeezed her hand so she would look up at ether, filled with glassy tears I only wanted to lick away, looked into mine "Let me take you home, please" I nodded to make her understand it e needed "I want to be alone with you right now, Brynne Everything else doesn’t matter so much"

She made a sound that just ripped my heart apart So soft, but injured and raw I stood up fro her withI threw soot her out to the car and buckled into her seat

"Are you sure you want to, Ethan?" she asked me, her eyes red and full of tears

I looked at her dead on "I’ve never been surer of anything" I leaned to her and put my hand on the back of her head so I could control the kiss I kissed her thoroughly on the lips, even pressing against her teeth with ue so she would open up to me Brynne needed to know I still wanted her I knew she was struggling with the idea of herself and e of her past She assumed I wouldn’t desire her anyirl could not have beenfor you Just know this…" I spoke directly just a few inches fro into her soulful eyes "I have no intentions of letting you go" I sed hard "If you co on for all of me, Brynne I don’t know any other way to be with you It’s all in for me And I want it to be all in for you too"

"All in?" She brought her palenuine

I turned my lips to press them into the palm of her hand as she heldyou have on the cards you’re holding You’re what I’ain and her lip trehtly "I haven’t even told you all of it There’s more" She took her hand away

"Open your eyes and look at ently but very firroan for how esture aroused me "I don’t care whatever it is you haven’t told me or even what you just told me in the restaurant" I shook e how I feel I knoe’ll talk some more and you can tell me the rest when you’re able…or when you need to I’ll hear it I need to hear everything anyway so I can make sure you’re kept safe Which I will do, I promise you, Brynne"

"Oh, Ethan--" Her bottom lip quivered as she looked over at me, as beautiful in her sadness as she hen she was happy

I could see Brynne orried abouther past, my reaction to her past, the possible threats to her safety in London, s--and I so desperately wanted to erase that worry from her expression if I could I wished for her to be free from her burdens and left alone to live her life, hopefully with me in there soht now either I would keep her safe, but I also wanted toto co from me, Brynne If you need a break that’s fine, I’ll respect it and give you some space But I have to be able to coainor shut me out" I brushed her lips with my thumb "That’s what I need fro harder, her chest ht turquoise top, her eyes flickering as she contemplated I could tell she was scared but Brynne had to learn to trust ambled on the hope she would take h Fall apart? Becon up for psychotherapy?

"But--I find it so hard to trust in a relationship You’ve gotten farther than anyone ever has before For the first time I’ve had to choose between a co safely uncohter "I know you’re scared but I want you to give us a chance anyway You’re not meant to be alone You’re meant to be with me" My words came out a little hard but it was too late to pull the her head atelse, Ethan Blackstone Were you always like this?"

"Like what?"

"So deuess I don’t know I just kno I as with you I’ve not wanted before I want you and that’s all I know Right noant you to coether And I’ll just take the pron of trouble You’ll give ht and not close me out" I held her shoulders with both hands "I can be understanding if you’ll tell ive you whatever it is you need, Brynne" I rubbed with ers ot a feel of her again I didn’t want to give her up

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes for an instant, succu me some hope She said one word My name "…Ethan"

"I think I knohat that is too You just have to trust hter "Choose me Choose us"