Page 87 of Miss Treated

“You owe me?”

“Yeah, for not outing my behavior to my mother or Nic. It’ll be my way of apologizing, okay?”

When he put it that way, how could I refuse? “Fine.”

But when we arrived at his mode of transportation, I froze. “You drive a motorcycle?”

He handed me a helmet. “No, I drive a Harley. Hop on.”

I glanced down at my dress, then back at him. This was mission impossible.

“I’ll turn around while you get yourself situated.”

Yeah, easier said than done, but at least the side slit made it possible for me to maneuver. Gabe threw a leather jacket over me and then got on in front. The roar of the bike came to life.

“Oh Jesus,” I groaned, causing him to chuckle.

“Hold on to me.”

I had no choice. Once we were on the road, I ducked my head against the crisp air whipping around us. The only saving grace was the fact we couldn’t talk to each other. I definitely didn’t want to tell him I’d been responsible for making his mother cry.

We arrived at the hotel a short time later, and I got off the machine with his assistance. My legs were shaky. After sliding off the helmet, I handed it over to Gabe, anxious to get to my room. “Thanks for the ride. Take care.”

He called after me. “Kelsey?”

I turned around. “Yeah?”

“I don’t know what happened, but my brother is a good guy.”

“Yes, he is.” Which is why he deserved better than a woman who was a broken version of herself. Someone who hadn’t been strong enough to walk away from an abusive relationship, and who still had trouble with confrontations.

I rushed up to my room to pack up. I was uncertain where I’d go, but I definitely didn’t want to stay here. I barely noticed the tears freely falling down my face or my shaking hands. When the knock came on the door, I froze.

“Kels, I know you’re in there. Please open up.”

I finished throwing my things into my suitcase and zipped it up. Then, gathering my resolve, I opened the door, averting my gaze from Dominic’s handsome face. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. Look, I was angry—”

“You had a right to be.” I put my laptop bag and purse over my shoulder and took my suitcase in hand. “I need to go, and you should be with your family.”

“You can come with me.”

I pictured the hurt on Ava’s and Anna’s faces and knew I’d be the last person they’d want to see. “No. I shouldn’t. I’m heading home.”

“I can come up tomorrow?”

“It would be better if you didn’t.” I needed to be by myself. To flee, just as I’d fled from Joel. I was utterly unequipped to deal with this level of feelings.

The hurt on his face was almost more than I could bear. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying this isn’t working. I’m sorry. I was a fool to mix business and personal. I was even more of a fool to think I was in any way ready for a relationship. I can’t do this with you.”

“Kels. I love you.”

I swallowed past the gigantic lump in my throat and refused to believe it. He deserved someone who hadn’t hurt his family, someone who didn’t have a mental health issue, and someone who wasn’t ashamed of her past.

“You don’t know the real me. I’m broken in ways you can’t even fathom, and you’ll be glad you let me go.”