Page 101 of Unraveled

You don’t have to stay with her. Not when there’s so much waiting for you right here with me. You have a choice. You just need to let yourself consider it. You’ve been fighting it for so long, but I need you to know that I’m waiting for the day that you realize how beautiful you and I can be together. What potential we have and how perfectly we fit.

Already yours…

I felt like I was going to vomit all over again.

Jet had slept with Ruby?

He’dcheatedon me?

My heart throbbed in my chest, my stomach simultaneously trying to shrivel up and expel the remainder of its contents at the same time. My breaths echoed in my ears as I tried to remember how to breathe.

My hands shook as I lowered the letter that I justcouldn’tbelieve was true. Jetcheatedon me? The idea was inconceivable. It literally did not make sense. He’d promised we were endgame.

“Promises can be broken.”

The line from the letter flashed in my thoughts, and my stomach rolled.

The ring on my finger suddenly felt very heavy, and I stared at my shaking hand. Was I losing Jet? Was he breaking his promise? The promise that meanteverythingin the world to me?

No. No. I didnotknow how to process this.

“You have a choice.”

If Jet really considered Ruby a choice, if he’d really slept with her,Ishould be the one leavinghim.

Oh, God. Leave Jet?My brain didn’t seem to understand the concept.

I crushed the letter in my fist, my emotions ping-ponging between anger and despair. Could Jet really have done this to me? Could I really be losing him?

I stared down at that damn book with its infuriating title.

Mine.

Jet was supposed to bemine! He was always supposed to be mine. He’d promised.

Snatching up the book from the seat, I screamed as I threw it against the driver’s side window with every ounce of anger based adrenaline now coursing through my body. The glass cracked, and a jolt of satisfaction rushed through me, but regret smothered it when I knew how much the car meant to him. How he’d feel when he saw it.

I screamed at the window, every muscle in my throat and stomach constricting as I unleashed the next rush of anger, mad that I cared. “Good! You can remind him of everything he’s thrown away! You can remind him of me!” The last words came out as sobs. “He was supposed to be mine.”

God, it hurt. I had to remind myself to breathe. I’d known things had been off with us lately, ever sinceshe’dturned up, but I’dneverthought he’d cheat. No wonder Ruby was always so confident. She’d already had him.

No. No.This is nuts. It’sherI don’t trust, not Jet. Why am I believing this letter without even getting his side? This whole thing could be a lie. Right?

My self preservation now at work, I shoved back the tears, hanging onto the vestiges of my hope for my sanity. I slammed the door shut and went to go find him. Jet deserved a chance to defend himself. There had to be an explanation for this. Jet wouldn’tcheat. I just couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t. Not unless I had proof or he told me himself.

Cheers from the races echoed through the air over the bass of the music as I neared the party, and I stopped for a moment to steel my stomach, working to calm my breaths.There has to be an explanation. You can do this.I pushed myself to continue, but when I passed Noah’struck, I stopped dead in my tracks, my face paling as my heart twisted and dropped from my chest.

JET

I was still fuming when I reached the kegs. David had been a friend for years, and knowing how casually he’d worked behind our backs, endangering Izzy, even if he seemed to feel bad about it now, I was pretty sure that relationship was shot. I’d always kept our friendship separate from the Zane bullshit, but now, I didn’t see how I’d ever be able to trust him again.

The only consolation was that asshole was about to be gone, and Izzy would be safe.

Making myself dial back my frustration, not wanting to ruin the night, I grabbed a cup when it was my turn at the keg and filled it to the brim, sucking down half of it right there. I topped it off again before stepping away and went to stand off to the side of Corey’s truck, near where I figured I’d see Annie approach, deciding to go look for her if she wasn’t back by the time I’d finished my beer.

“Jet.”

Fuck. Here we go.I turned, trying not to groan. “Hey, Ruby.”

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