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“Well, she’s right about one thing. You guys can’t touch him. It will only land you in jail and the cops probably won’t help her,” Addy points out.

“So what do we do?!” Tucker yells.

“I don’t know,” Addy answers.

I huff out a breath in annoyance and roll my eyes before walking away from the door. I plop down on the bed and look at my phone.

God…one hundred and eight missed calls. He’s frantic. The urge to call him and comfort him is overwhelming. What the hell is wrong with me? I know what he did to me and yet, when someone says something bad about him, I immediately defend him, and I still want to comfort him when he’s hurting.

I’m pretty sure that makes me a masochist.

I need to talk to him. That’s the only answer I have right now. I need to know what he’s thinking and feeling, I don’t feel right not knowing, the anxiousness nearly choking me.

My phone buzzes in my hand with an incoming call and I stare at Ryan’s picture for a minute before answering.

“Hi.”

“Baby,” he breathes into the phone. “Please come home.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea, Ryan.”

“Sweetheart, I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you. I love you so much. Please forgive me and give me a second chance. I’ll make it up to you.”

Chewing on my bottom lip, I look up at the ceiling as if angels will descend from heaven and offer me divine wisdom.

“I need some time, Ryan.”

“Time for what, Emma?”

“I just need time to think.”

A heavy sigh comes across the phone and my eyes burn with unshed tears.

“How much time?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay, baby,” he agrees after a minute.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t stay gone too long, baby. I miss you so much. This house is so depressing without you.” A tear falls down my cheek and I know I need to hang up the phone.

“Bye, Ryan.”

“I love you, Em,” he responds and I hang up the phone without responding. Then the tears are streaming down my face.

Will I ever be able to get over this?