“A what?” I said, matching his gaze.
“An askhole. Someone who asks for advice and then ignores it.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Okay, okay. I promise.”
He tugged me into the bathroom and shifted my body until I was standing in front of the mirror. His hand reached up and gently forced my chin up. “Look in that mirror, Brooke.”
An ache ripped through my chest. I didn’t want to look at myself.
“You can’t even look at yourself.” I felt his body step closer, felt his hand get tighter. “Look at that strong woman in the mirror. She doesn’t think she deserves to work where she does.”
I looked up and looked straight into my own eyes.
“You deserve so much more. Never let anyone in this world put you down. No one has the right to make you feel less than you are. Let no one change who you are.”
My breath pushed out in a low gasp. My eyes widened, and his fingers dug into my skin. “That strength you need? That strength you want? It’s in there,” he growled, pointing to my chest. “Find it, Brooke. Don’t let someone else break you. Stay and fight that asshole. I got your back.”
Then, his hands were off me, and the heat of his body was nothing but cold emptiness as he stormed out of the bathroom, leaving me breathless.
