Page 266 of Sweet Nightmare

How unfortunate for them.

“Are you all right, baby?” Dad asks.

“Never been better.”

“The board has called twice,” Mom says gently. “Some sponsors are worried.”

“Then they can worry.”

“Artemis.”

“What? I had sex with a man. I didn’t murder my sister and stuff her remains into a suitcase.”

Allegra’s smile falters. “Hey! Why me? Why not Roman?”

“You annoy me the most.”

Allegra rolls her eyes, but her smile quickly returns.

Meanwhile, Mom tries to look stern, but her mouth betrays her.

“I know the scrutiny is a lot,” she says. “You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t bother you.”

“I’m not pretending.” I tuck my feet beneath me. “I stopped caring what strangers thought of my choices a long time ago, Mom. They can write their articles, pick apart my life, and invent whatever story makes them feel better and generates them the most money. I’m the one that has to live with my decisions. Not them.”

Roman’s expression shifts, the faintest hint of approval crossing his face.

“There’s my strong, girl,” Dad murmurs.

I frown at the sadness in his voice.

“I never left.”

“No,” he says softly. “But for a while, you seemed to forget you were allowed to want things.”

He’s right.

For so long, I’ve been so busy being untouchable that I’ve forgotten what it feels like to reach for something simply because I want it.

Then I think of Stephen. His sleepy smile after he fell asleep. The way he touched and kissed me as if I was the only thing he needed to breathe.

“I was a little lost, yes,” I admit.

Mom’s eyes soften. “And now, moonbeam?”

“Now I think I’m terrified out of my mind.” For the first time in a really long time, I let my family in.

“I met someone,” I say, suddenly shy beneath the attention of the four out of five people who know me best. “And I don’t know exactly how to navigate all of this but I want to. With him.”

Allegra shrieks and I give her a death stare.

That shuts her up.

“Do you love him?” Dad asks.

“Dad…”

“That’s a yes-or-no question, baby.”