by J. C. Reed
“Because it’s the truth,” he whispered. I searched his gaze and found no traces of lying, but then again wasn’t he a master of persuasion? We had even joked about it.
“Let me explain, please? Just not here. It’s too dangerous.” His gaze implored me to come with him. He reached out his hand, waiting for me to grab it.
“No. We’re not going anywhere.” I turned my back on him, unable to look at him, unable to take the pain his sight caused me. I couldn’t bear him telling another lie.
“Tell me the truth. Just say yes or no,” I said in a tone that could have frozen over a desert. “Did you plan to meet me because of the estate?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“No,” I cut him short. “Just say yes or no.”
“Yes.” A defeated sigh escaped his throat.
Swallowing down the choking knot inside my throat, I reached the door in two long strides, but he was faster. His arm pushed past me to block the door.
“Brooke, please...stop. We need to talk. You have to trust me,” he whispered.
“No.” My voice, my whole being, trembled. I drew a shaky breath to steady myself for what I was about to say. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this anymore. There’s nothing more to be said, nothing that would ever make me trust you again. You did what you had to do. But it’s time to let me go because you’ll never get the estate. I’ll make sure of it. And if you ever cared about me, even if only for a bit, then you’ll let me go.”
Tension emanated from him in strong waves. His gaze brushed my cheek and lips, sending my heart into a deep plunge. Before I could move away, he inched so close his hot breath caressed my skin, making me tingle all over.
“I care enough for you to let you go,” Jett whispered. “But I’ll never stop protecting you.”
I pushed him aside, opened the door, and walked out, ignoring the curious glances in the hall. He didn’t follow me. With each step I took putting distance between us, the pain in my chest increased, but I had no choice. This one time, I had to listen to my mind and ignore the feeble attempts of my heart telling me to at least listen to him, to give him a chance to explain because, maybe, just maybe, he meant what he said.
But I didn’t want to know, so I forced myself to keep on walking.
Leaving the building, stepping outside, I took a deep breath of the exhaust fume infused New York air.
Morning’s rays of light warmed my skin, and people hurried past me. New York was abuzz with life. Even though my pain overwhelmed me, I was still alive, and that was what really mattered.
I took another steadying breath and let it out slowly, thinking I’d be okay…in time. My heart would heal. Maybe someday, I’d find someone who’d prove he really loved me. Someone who’d hold me rather than let me fall. Someone who’d never lie to me.
But that someone wasn’t Jett.
Even though moving on was hard, I knew I’d do it eventually, so I could look back one day in the knowledge that I had learned from my mistakes…
Jett and Brooke’s story continues in the powerfully sensual sequel in the Surrender Your Love series,
Conquer
YOUR
LOVE
IS OUT NOW!
OTHER BOOKS BY J.C. REED
The Surrender Your Love Trilogy
Surrender Your Love
Conquer Your Love
Treasure Your Love
The No Exceptions Series
The Lover’s Secret
The Lover’s Game
The Lover’s Promise
The Lover’s Surrender
The An Indecent Proposal Trilogy
The Interview
The Agreement
Bad Boy
Find J.C. Reed’s books on Amazon
Amazon page
