Page 200 of Wreck Me

“Fifteen miles north of the city.”

“That’s in the middle of nowhere. What the fuck was he doing all the way out there?” Caleb said.

“Heading to his supplier,” Caspian told us. “The one he thinks I don’t know about. It crossed my mind and I reached out to the little shit, and he confirmed as much.”

I cursed and shoved my hand through my hair. This was bad. So bad.

Bastian was completely losing control.

And, despite Caleb’s assurances, I couldn’t help but put it down to me. It was because of me. Because he’d met me, gotten close to me, and opened himself up for me. I was causing him pain. Us being together was hurting him. He couldn’t handle it. He wanted to, but all of this was proof that he couldn’t.

I couldn’t allow it to continue this way for him.

Unfortunately, that only left me with one definitive option, one way to give him back the peace he desperately needed.

But to do it, it would break me.

Hell, it would break all of us.

Caspian’s phone buzzed, jolting me from my awful thoughts.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at whatever had come in, fury emanating from him. He looked like he was close to losing his cool, something I hadn’t thought possible for him.

“What? What is it?” Caleb asked, stubbing out his smoke, then striding to him.

Caspian spun his phone so we could both see.

Bastian: Got your boy, King. Having a nice talk. I’ll give you the location to pick him up from in a couple of hours, once I’m done. I’ll leave it at that and keep far away from your territory going forward so long as you relinquish Skylar to me. If not, let’s just say that I’ll make damn sure your chance to take out my brother is ruined.

A shudder rolled through me.

It was yet more evidence that my presence in their lives had become detrimental.

Theirs in mine with Damien’s antics, the porno, and the paparazzi was detrimental to me too.

Maybe some loves just weren’t to be.

Maybe some connections did nothing but wreck you to pieces.

“Skylar, I don’t negotiate with terrorists,” Caspian said, reaching out and grasping my shoulder, trying to reassure me.

“Maybe you should.”

“No fucking way,” Caleb growled.

“Fine,” I muttered, not wanting to get into a whole thing about it while Bastian was missing and time was of the essence. “Let me go after Jett. All I have to do is contact him myself and he’ll lead me right to his door. He’s that obsessed with me that he’ll risk too much just to have me in his vicinity again. I can guarantee it.”

“No,” Caspian said.

“I can end this right here and now!” I yelled, losing my temper in spite of trying so fucking hard to keep control through all of this.

“Ending it is exactly what I’m worried about, and why I won’t let you do this.”

“What’s the missing information I don’t have? Because I’m certain you don’t want to protect Jett, but it’s sounding a hell of a lot like it.”

His phone buzzed several times and his gaze darted from it clasped in his hand, out to me and Caleb. Blowing out a breath, he told me, “I don’t have time now to delve into it properly. So you’re going to have to make do with the CliffsNotes.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m listening.”

---