Just because Tanya said she was waiting for me, did that mean I had to drop everything and


    go? Who did


    she think she was?


    I ignored the message, not giving it a second thought. Meanwhile, Jace kept staring at me,


    completely unaware of the notification that had shed across the screen.


    “Rea, are you seriously done with me? Jace asked, his eyes bloodshot.


    I was so tired of this conversation. How many times did I have to say it? “What do I have to


    do to make you get it? Marry Hayden just to prove I’m serious?”


    I’d already kissed Hayden just to get Jace off my back, but he still refused to believe I meant


    it.


    “Keira Kay!” he growled my name.


    That tone used to make me nervous. But now? I didn’t feel a thing.


    It’s weird how things shift when you stop caring about someone.


    I nced down for a second before looking him straight in the eye. “Jace, it’s really over. I


    don’t know how else to say it. Even if every guy on this disappeared and you were the


    last one standing, I still wouldn’t choose you.”


    Yeah, it was harsh–maybe even cruel–but I was so over his constant pushing.


    Jace’s face went pale, like I’d just thrown a bucket of ice water at him. For a second, he just


    stared at me, speechless.


    I didn’t even have to look to know what was written all over his face–anger, frustration, and


    that look of you’re breaking me.


    “You’re gonna regret this,” he muttered.


    I gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I won’t. I don’t.”


    “Even if something happens to me–if I get hurt, or worse–still won’t regret it?” His words


    came out of nowhere.


    I shot him a confused nce. His eyes were red. “I know I messed up. I know I hurt you. I’ve


    tried everything to fix it, to get you to forgive me, but you won’t give me another chance.”


    He shook his head, his eyes getting ssier with unshed tears. “What, do you want me to


    get down on my knees and beg?”


    This was real regret–I could feel it.


    I’d known for a while that Jace regretted what he did. He wouldn’t be acting like this


    otherwise, going so


    rout of his usual tough–guy persona. But some things, once broken, can’t be put back


    together.


    “Jace, I don’t need you to do anything.” I said calmly. “Because nothing you do is going to


    change things


    now.”


    Jace let out a bitterugh. “So, that’s it, huh? You’re just sentencing me to death. No trial, no


    appeal. Just done.”


    I didn’t say anything, because honestly, yeah, that was pretty much what I was doing.


    “Fine. Fine,” he muttered, nodding. He turned away, staring out the window.


    I saw him wipe the corner of his eye.


    Was he crying?


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    For a second, my chest tightened.


    “Pull over,” Jace said.


    I mmed on the brakes, and the car jerked to a stop. Jace threw open the door and got out


    without even ncing back.


    I just sat in my car, watching him toss his jacket over his shoulder and kick at the air. He


    kept walking, getting smaller and smaller, and I knew right then–whatever Jace and I had? It


    was done.


    Completely over.


    Tanya must’ve gotten impatient. After not seeing me or getting a reply to her texts, she


    called me directly. Already on edge, I sent it straight to voicemail. Not even a minuteter,


    another message popped up: [Keira, I just want to talk. I swear, I don’t mean any harm. I’ll


    wait for you as long as it takes.]


    Thatst line? Totally just a way to guilt–trip me, like some passive–aggressive threat.


    But I wasn’t falling for it. If she wanted to wait, that was her choice. It had nothing to do with


    me.