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man, Gregory Ryans. You’re the best man. You’re kind and brave and that little boy didn’t deserve to be born into that life. Are you listening to me?”
    “I love you.”
    Those three words. Through all his pain and torment, his says those three words.
    “God, Gregory, I love you, too. So much it hurts.”
    He squeezes me so tightly I can’t breathe. I tell him so and he laughs. A short-lived break but I’ll take it.
    He releases his grip and pulls back. “Will you stay?” His voice is barely audible. It’s not the Gregory I know. It catches me off guard.
    “Gregory, I, this is all, we—”
    “It’s fine. I get it.” The expression in his tortured eyes strikes my gut with a dagger and twists.
    “Don’t do that.” I step into him and grip the tops of his arms. “Don’t put walls up, Gregory. I’m not walking away. I’m not afraid of what you’ve told me. It’s just a lot to take in.” I sigh, dropping my arms to my sides. “I just need to process everything, get my head straight before you invade it again. I’m trying to understand you and I’m grateful, so grateful, that you’ve let me in. But you hurt me, Gregory. Sending me away broke me. And you did it intentionally. For good reason or not, I can’t just forget that.”
    “I get it.”
    “Do you?”
    “I do. But I’d like you to stay. Just, to talk. There are two bedrooms, you could go to your own bed when you’re tired.”
    “No, Gregory, I really don’t think it’s a good idea.” I walk towards the door, trying not to let the emotion balled up in my throat surface.
    “Scarlett, please.” His plea makes me stop and to my horror, he’s on his knees when I turn around. Gregory Ryans, powerful CEO, the man whose presence can silence a room, the man who demands control, my Gregory, is on his knees.
    “Get up. This is not you, Gregory, you don’t belong on your knees, not for anybody.”
    “You’re not anybody, Scarlett, you’re the only person who’s ever wanted to climb walls with me. You’re the only person who could bring me to my knees. I’m begging you to accept me because I’m miserable without you. You can have all of me, baby. You can own me.”
    “I don’t want to own you, Gregory. I want you to be on the same page as me, part of a team that faces everything together. Not a team where one person runs when things get tough.”
    “I can’t promise I won’t fuck up. I will. But I want to be everything to you. I won’t ever push you away again. And I’ll talk to you. Damn it, I’m trying to talk to you.”
    “And I’m grateful...but I’m going to my room.”
    I leave him there, on his knees, an image that threatens to tear me apart all over again.
    * * *
    My eyes sting as I ride the lift to my floor and walk with weak legs to my room. In his suite it was less what he said and more the look on his face, years of torture, abuse and anguish. Now, the enormity of what he told me is sinking in. Gregory had a sister. His father repeatedly raped her, beat Lara, beat him. He was helpless.
    The weighted door to my room bangs heavily behind me and I fight back tears as I grab the silk shorts and cami that have been folded on my pillow. I suddenly have no energy and slump onto the end of the bed. Then like a raging storm, pain strikes my abdomen. I see his face, see him kneeling in front of me. Thirty years of torment flood my mind and the lump I’ve been fighting in my throat bursts. With a yelp, my tears come and I cry into my hands. The onslaught is uncontrollable.
    How can a human being do that to another? How can a father do that to his daughter, his son, his wife?
    And he saw.
    He saw it all.
    He felt every blow.
    His own father stabbing his back with a serrated bottle.
    He was only a boy.
    I strip down and climb into the shower, desperate to wash away everything I’ve heard, wishing I could do that for Gregory. I’ve left him there, alone.
    But the pain he caused me. I slide down the wall and sit on the floor