Page 145 of Brighter Together

A tiny, broken laugh escapes me. “I get that.”

“But none of that changes what Lee has been doing to you.”

He looks at the bruises again.

“And it definitely doesn’t mean you pack a bag and disappear because you’ve decided I’d be better off.”

My chest aches.

“I thought you’d hate me.”

“I don’t.” He takes another step towards me. “I hate that you lied.”

The distinction matters.

More than I can explain.

“I hate that you thought you had to.”

His fingers touch my wrist.

“I hate that your brother has frightened you badly enough that you thought helping him was the only way to get free.”

The tears start again.

Tommy’s hand closes gently around mine.

“Ella.”

I look at him.

“I love you.”

Everything inside me stops.

Not because I haven’t wondered.

Because I have.

But I never expected to hear it now.

Not in the middle of this.

Not after telling him the worst thing I’ve done to him.

His eyes stay on mine.

“I’m still angry.”

A wet laugh escapes me. “I gathered that.”

“And we are going to talk about all of this again when neither of us is shaking.”

I nod.

“But I love you.” His thumb moves over my hand. “That part hasn’t changed in the last twenty minutes.”

I swallow hard. “Tommy—"