Private Affair (The Private Series) by Danielle Torella Page A

But…I just don’t know what to do. I know I can’t do anything about how I feel. I want to take it slow. This isn’t something I want to rush. I don’t want to ruin a friendship either.”
    Caroline walks over to Dan and weaves her arm into Dan’s and his eyes widen and look at Ben, probably afraid of losing his dick now.
    “Caroline, get away from him.” Ben demands her.
    “Benji, try to understand…”
    “Understand what exactly? Not too long ago you nearly killed yourself, you were hurting yourself for God know how long! Was any of it because of him?” He points to Dan.
    Caroline looks down to her feet.
    “That’s what I fucking thought!”
    “No! It’s not that! Benji, I was…” She is struggling with finally letting it all out. She’s a million and then some time more brave than I am, to tell a room of people what makes your world so dark, so cold to harm yourself. “I was being teased at school, bad. I did things I wasn’t proud of… I tried to get Dan’s attentions after seeing women post photos of themselves with Dan on his Facebook page … those women were sexy and mature… I wanted to be seen that way in his eyes too. I feel for him, I don’t know if its love, but it’s strong, that I know. So I would post … pictures for him on his wall. Nothing nude, but…” She nervously looks to her father, who has his arms crossed over his chest and face just as red as Ben’s. “The kids at school could see what I was posting and started calling me a whore and other bad names. I tried to ignore it, but they could see that Dan was older and they started spreading rumors that I was sleeping with the teachers for grades. Even photo-shopping my face onto porn stars bodies and sending them around.”
    Caroline is starting to tense up and tear up, I rush over to her and hug her. I understand. I really do. She is still gripping onto Dan’s arm, “Dan was there for me, he saw it all…” She stops. A flood of tears just let go. He steps in front of her and holds the sides of her face between his strong hands.
    “You are better than that, you know it. I have told you a million times. If I could make it all go away I would, you know that. I feel like I am the one to blame for everything. If I would have known that you were hurting yourself, especially for so long I would have spoken up honestly. Your family loves you and doesn’t want to see you in pain.”
    Caroline looks so little next to him, which only makes the situation that much worse. She is only a teenager and he is in his mid-twenties. I can see the, and I don’t want to say it or think it, but I see the love they each have for one another in their eyes. I truly believe that if Dan had known what was really going on, he would have said something to Ben or Jack.
    “This…” Dan starts, he holds her wounded arm in his hands, cradling it, nurturing it. “Is scary. When I heard that you nearly… died, I lost it. I shut off for days. I didn’t work, I didn’t answer my calls. I ceased to exist, until I finally got word of how you were doing.” He looks to Ben, “I tried to keep my distance to respect your wishes, but…”
    “You knew that something was going on Benjamin?” Jack snips at Ben.
    “I knew of one incident, but I was assured it was a misunderstanding. I had no idea about any of this.” Ben explains.
    Jack walks to Dan, oh crap . “I see. So, what are your intentions now?” He isn’t even talking to me and I want to tell him my intentions with Ben…holy shit he is scary.
    “I would like to continue being there for Caroline Sir. I know she is much too young, right now for a relationship with me. And I don’t think after what she has been through she should see anyone romantically right now.”
    He is very logical on the matter.
    Jack taking in a calming breath and I see his clenched fists relax, how long have they been like that? “Your bloody right about that young man. My daughter is in no condition to