Chapter 95

And even though I don’t want to, I know I must go back. Because it’s about Ethan, and I love him, and I never wanted him to know how much I suffered. But now he knows, because his words touch me deeply.

“Breathe, damn it. Just breathe.”

“Gabriela!” He puts a hand on my shoulder again and moves closer, wrapping his arm around my back. “Easy. Easy. And I’m so sorry you went through that, and that it was because of me, and—”

“No!” The word comes from my gut with such violence that my throat aches from the effort as I sit up in the seat. “No, don’t you dare feel guilty. Damn it, Ethan, I didn’t want you to find out. Why did he tell you? Why did you get into this?”

“He said… he said he didn’t know what was going on…”

“Lie.”

“He said Reed was blackmailing you now. That Marcus told him. Is it true?”

I shake my head.

“He said I had to know—”

“No! I never wanted you to know!”

“He said you had to know in case it came to light,” he co