Dangerous Beauty: Part Four: Beautifully Broken by Michelle Hardin Page A

convince her that Kyle Valente was in love with her. She would just be asking for heartbreak by doing that. Not a smart idea.
    Releasing her sister’s hand, Reanna sat back on the couch. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to be thinking Kyle’s secretly in love with me,” she said. “It seems a bit childish, don’t you think?”
    Tamara sighed tiredly. “He’s not secretly in love with you, Rea. I said he loves you, but he’s just …” She struggled to find words. “He lacks confidence in himself. I understand because I’m the same way.”
    “No you’re not, Tamara,” Reanna argued.
    “Why do you think I play so many games, then?”
    “You are not like Kyle,” Reanna repeated. “Nobody is.” Kyle was in a league of his own. The man was too much work, and Reanna was beginning to get tired. “If Kyle wants me, then why be afraid to make a move? Why is he still with Aniyah? And why the hell would he ask me to babysit her while he goes out every weekend to screw her? ”
    Tamara whined at Reanna’s words. “I never said he wasn’t an idiot, Rea.” She shrugged. “I just think … he doesn’t want to lose you.”
    “Lose me how?” Reanna yelled, now becoming frustrated with the conversation. “Because going out every weekend to screw Aniyah, then coming home and flirting, and falling asleep cuddled up with me is a sure way to lose me!”
    Ugh!! She wasn’t good at this, reading signs, reading men . She was not a game player . She was honest when it came to matters of her heart. She wore her heart on her sleeve; been told it over and over throughout her life, and she preferred that people be straight forward with her, too. She had little patience for anything else. Even with Kyle.
    “I’m seriously so close to just doing what Ronaldo said, and cutting this off. Seriously, I could do without my feelings for Kyle.”
    Especially right now! Right about now she wanted to keep being Sofia’s favorite forever, and end … whatever kind of relationship she had with Kyle. It was causing her too much stress, and Reanna freaking hated stress! She didn’t tolerate it.
    “I’m so frustrated because I don’t understand him, Mara. I need to do something different … I need to go on a date or something. Ronaldo was right—”
    “I was?”
    “I need to take my life off hold, and get a personal life of my own. Maybe I’m ready for another relationship, you think?” She looked to both her best friend and sister. “I haven’t been in a long-term relationship with anybody since the surgeon …” Four years ago and the best relationship she’d ever had. He’d been a surgeon, and he’d been hot. “And it was him that showed me what it was like to be in a real relationship after …”
    Her features tightened at the thought of the man she’d dated before her beloved surgeon. It was like a freaking circuit board on the inside of her head, every time she thought of him she wanted to flip the switches and shut everything down for the day. It’d been seven years, but the scars he left were still fresh.
    “Uh, uh,” Tamara chided, reaching forward quickly to cup Reanna’s face. “Don’t you dare fucking shut down on me, Rea.”
    Reanna opened her mouth to speak, but shook her head instead. She wasn’t … she wasn’t shutting down, she just needed a minute. Saying his name wasn’t always easy. Some days were better than others though.
    “Reanna, stop it!” Tamara said sharply.
    And Reanna wished she could, but it just wasn’t possible. Tamara was better at this, moving forward. She was stronger than Reanna in that sense; nothing affected her. But, sadly, Reanna was still affected … and rightfully so.
    “Reanna, I swear to God if you don’t say that motherfucker’s name, I’m calling Dr. Tomlin.”
    Tamara’s threat got her. “Bryon,” she whispered, immediately moving forward with the conversation. “Bryon.”
    Brain function fully restored. The rules were simple; face the