Enthralled (Dark Passions) Read Online Free Page A

that it? Too weak to lean on?”
     
      
He gave me a sharp look and his expression became stormy. “Melanie,” he said
hoarsely, “You’re one of the strongest women I know. Don’t you think I realize
how hard it is for you to trust people? And yet you trust me. And you keep
opening up to me.” He studied me for a moment. “Being able to make yourself
truly vulnerable to someone else is a sign of great strength,” he added,
looking at me with admiration.
     
      
I looked at him pleadingly, yet with determination. “Well, I know you’re a very
strong, powerful man. You’ve shown me that over and over. But I need to know
you trust me, too. Prove to me that you think I’m strong. Show me you can lean
on me.”
     
      
Right then the waitress arrived with our lattes. Realizing we were in the
middle of something, she quickly set them down on the table and disappeared.
Bradley brought his glass mug to his lips and took a long sip while studying
me. Then he sighed and leaned forward, his eyes becoming deadly serious, and
his mouth forming a grim line. “Okay, here goes,” he said, his face looking
both tortured and reflective. “My mom wasn’t exactly the most stable woman
either,” he began. “She’s an alcoholic,” he said matter-of-factly. “I mean,
she’s been sober for years now,” he said, his face cautiously optimistic, “but
she was a complete mess when I was a kid.”
     
      
I became deadly still, sensing where this was going. “She couldn’t look after you
properly,” I said softly, and he nodded.
     
      
“She was always out of it,” he said, a sense of betrayal creeping into his
voice. “And we weren’t wealthy. We couldn’t afford a nanny. I was making my own
snacks and tucking her in when she passed out by the time I was seven.”
     
      
Just sitting there listening to him, my heart started to ache for that little
boy. “Where was your dad during all of this?” I asked.
     
      
Bradley sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “He worked really long hours.
As an insurance salesman. He had a really strong work ethic,” Bradley said,
with pride in his voice. “Worked his way up from salesman to vice president of
the company.” Brad’s jaw tightened and his face became determined. “He told me
my mom’s illness was a blessing in disguise, because it taught me to be
self-sufficient early on.”
     
      
I looked at him steadily, doing my best to mask the anger I was feeling.
“Self-sufficient at seven?” I asked, my tone probing and cautious, “That’s
asking for a little too much, don’t you think?”
     
      
Bradley shook his head in disagreement. “It worked out well for me. Taught me
to take responsibility,” he said, his eyes going hard.
     
      
I reached again for his hand, stroking it. “But who did you have to lean on?” I
asked softly, my eyes searching his. “Everyone needs a shoulder to lean on
sometimes. Who was ever there for you?”
     
      
Bradley’s eyes became pained, and he turned his head away. When he looked back
at me again, his eyes were guarded and unreadable. “I learned to lean on
myself.”
     
      
“Because you couldn’t trust anyone else to hold you up,” I said, unable to hide
the anger in my voice this time. I squeezed his hand, and looked him steadily
in the eye. “You can trust me, Bradley,” I said evenly. “You can lean on me. I
won’t let you down.”
     
      
Bradley reached over and stroked my hair. “Telling you this was a big step for
me,” he said. “And I’m telling you now, Mel, leaning on people is not what I
do. I hold others up. I take control. It’s part of my makeup. I’ve been doing
it for too long to change.” His eyes scanned my face for a reaction. “Do you
think you can live with that?” he asked.
     
      
I sighed, and bit my lip. “For now,” I said. Then I considered, and added, “And
for as long as it takes. I’m not going anywhere.”
     
      
I could see relief wash