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“I know I’ve been up all night trying to decide what to do…”

“Have you thought about calling Bruce Rawson?”

Except for her shuddering breaths, she’s quiet for a really long time “I can’t”

“I don’t see another choice”

“It’s complicated It’s…” She lets out a frustrated huff “Shit, I’ve co”

My heart stutters, and suddenly I know she’s going to confess It’s bittersweet I wanted Sloan to open up to ive me her truths And what the fuck does that say about s?

But now that we’re here, I’enie is out of the bottle, she can never put it back in Will she stop talking to me so she doesn’t have to confront the fact I know her dirty secrets? “Sloan… Baby, you don’t have to—”

“Bruce Rawson is er, he blew ot my master’s, I approached him strictly for advice He assumed I was there to blackmail him, so he hired me to shut me up He’s never paid me a moment of attention after that”

And suddenly I get what drives Sloan “You’ve given most of your adult life and your ambition to win your father’s approval?”

The ugly cry starts again “I’irl with stupid Daddy issues Pathetic”

Clearly, she isn’t ready to face hiain She’s upset about that, too

I can’t afford to feel so sorry for Sloan that I fail to doto cut all the bastards in her life who areher miserable “You are not pathetic You’re in a shitty position Of course you’re upset”

“I’ry”

Denial I get that She doesn’t want to admit that she feels crushed because she’ll also have to admit weakness

“Baby, you have every right to be pissed as hell None of this is your fault” Yet I can tell she somehow feels responsible