Page 45 of Too Hostile

“I’m okay. I made it out.”

He pulls back a little, but stays in my arms, just looking up at me. “How?”

I fought.

FLETCHER

He was a foster kid. Never in a million years would I have seen that coming, but now everything is starting to make so much sense. Why he was so angry when he thought I was just a spoiled rich kid.

Why he hardly ever smiled and kept people at bay. His reaction when he heard I was a foster kid.

No one rescued him.

“As soon as I could, I got a job. It was usually just side jobs, getting paid under the table, but I hustled. Every single day of my life, I fucking hustled.”

I swallow hard because I know. I know what it was like. We told ourselves we’d find a way out. I remember sitting for hours with Bree and Rhett, talking about all the ways we could make money and save up. Make a life for ourselves. Get the hell out of foster care. That was our one goal.

“And I kept my grades exceptionally high, which thankfully wasn’t that hard for me. I worked, and I saved. And when I was sixteen, I finally had enough saved to get a crappy apartment and get myself emancipated.”

“They granted it?”

He nods. “They did. I’d started working at this little diner by the school. I had six months of employment there and a stellar attendance record both at work and school. My grades were high. I didn’t give that judge one reason to deny me.”

I smile sadly at that because I can picture sixteen-year-old Ronan—no-nonsense and just presenting the facts to the judge. Daring them to question his ability to take care of himself.

“You rescued yourself,” I say, guilt washing over me. Guilt I’ve felt since the day I realized I was going to be adopted by Blair and Rhys. That I didn’t have to be scared any longer. But there were so many other kids out there who didn’t get that. Who had to spend every single day scared and alone. Hungry.

“Hey.” His deep voice makes me realize I’d looked away from him, and I look back up and into his eyes. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” I ask a tad defensively.

“Just because someone adopted you doesn’t make your suffering any less valid. You went through hell too.”

Damn him. “But I got out.”

“So did I.” He says it so firmly, I want to believe him, but I can see the scars now. The ones on his soul. From the time he spent in hell. “Fletcher, I’m okay. I made it.”

“But you had to work your ass off to do it.” My voice sounds strangled and tired. “No wonder you hated me.” I shake my head. God, I think about the days I sauntered into his class, acting like I didn’t have a care in the world. Acting like I owned the place.

“I didn’t hate you. Not even a little bit, Fletcher. Maybe I was a little jealous of what I thought was freedom to not have to worry, but now I know you. I know what you were doing.”

“And what was that?” I ask, knowing he’s already figured me out. Knowing without a doubt he sees right through my charade.

“Surviving,” he surprises me, and my eyes widen.

“I was a shithead.”

He offers a really small smile, one that doesn’t reach his eyes, but he shakes his head. “So was I. I pushed people away, so I didn’t have to talk about my past, and you did something totally different.” He sounds almost in awe. “You found a way to pull people in, charming them into thinking you’re okay.”

“It was fake,” I say. “I’m a fucking fraud.”

“No,” he says and then uses his hand to tip my chin up. I guess I looked away from him again. “You’re the most real human I’ve ever met.”

He leans and presses a firm kiss against my lips. “Tell me more,” I plead because I want to know everything now that he’s opened up. I know it’s greedy, but I can’t bring myself to care. I need this.

“I loved that shitty little apartment I had, but I lived in constant fear that something would happen and I’d get kicked out. I went ahead and took my GED so I could apply to colleges and passed on the first try. I went to college and worked my ass off every single day.” He gives a small laugh. “I don’t think I slept for years. I worked several jobs while going to school because I had some grants but not nearly enough to pay for school, and I didn’t want to start my life off in a ton of debt. In graduate school, I was able to get a teaching assistantship, which paid for my school and gave me just enough to squeak by, but it was a lot of work.”

“You’re incredible.” And I mean that. I’m in absolute awe of him.