Page 115 of Unraveled

Jet sucked in a deep breath, my head rising with his chest. “I don’t think I can. But, yeah, if I had to guess, that was probably it. Maybe her way of trying to break us up? Guess she didn’t count on me not wanting her, anyway. Just like I didn’t count on her getting vindictive.”

“How do you know she knew I’d see? The timing was just…so freaking perfect.”

“Something she said when I pushed her away. That if she couldn’t have me, then you couldn’t either.”

“Fucking bitch.” I scowled. “Well, it was effective.”

“Tell me about it.”

I lifted myself back up at his tone, and it only took a few seconds of reading the look on his face to realize what he meant. I cringed, biting my lip, and Jet raised a warning eyebrow.

“I get why you did it, Annie. You knew I was there, and you wanted to hurt me back, but Ineverwant you to think it’s okay to kiss another guy again. Especially my cousin.”

I nodded, hating the change in mood, the edges of my inner chaos bubbling up now with doubt. Knowing I’d crossed a line. Jet’s kiss had been forced. Mine had been revenge.

“Hey.” He ran his thumb along my forehead, bringing my eyes back to his, and my heart eased with the gentle look back in his gaze. “I’m not mad. Like I said, I get it. We’re fine. I swear.”

I nodded, releasing a breath. “Okay, but are we?” I couldn’t help but ask. “We’ve been fighting so much more lately, babe.”

“And the source of most of that tension is now kicked out of our lives. I should have done it sooner.”

“And Nic?”

“Fuck Nic.”

My brow shot up, and I shook my head. “No. Don’t do that. You’ve been working towards a relationship with him for months. Don’t cut him out just becauseIkissedhim.Trust me, I saw his face when it was over. He was shocked. I did to him what Ruby did to you. In a sense.I mean, really, babe. If he’s been feeling like how I did tonight formonths, it’s no wonder he’s so messed up.”

Jet took a deep breath, holding it for a second, and then released it. “Fine. I’ll hear him out. But it’s really weird to hear you defending him. Not sure I like it now.”

I laughed. “How does it feel being the jealous one?”

He narrowed his eyes, that eyebrow of his lifting playfully before he turned serious again. “I’m not jealous, Annie. It just grated to see someone else kiss you. You’re mine.Onlymine.”

I leaned down to kiss him at that. “Good. But you do need to talk to him and clear the air. I said my piece with him tonight, but I want the drama done. I have enough demons without adding something new to worry about.”

Jet shifted to where he was lying on his side, facing me, and took my hand in his. “These demons… Annie… I’m worried.”

Air suddenly felt tight in my chest. “About?”

“Your nightmares, sweetheart. All of your trauma and the PTSD? You’re not coping.”

I swallowed, my throat going tight as tears pricked my eyes. “I know.”

I’d tried so hard to hide it. I’d tried so hard to be enough. I’d always been enough. But now, it felt like I was hanging on by a thread, one more emotional punch away from the fibers unraveling. I forced the tears back, shoving it all beneath the splitting seams as I worked to control my breaths.

Jet just looked at me, so much sadness and compassion in his gaze. He leaned in and pressed a kiss against my brow, letting his lips linger there for several secondsbefore he whispered, “It’s okay not to be enough. It’s okay to need help. Professional help.”

Oh, God.The seams were ripping, and I shook my head, my eyes squeezed firmly shut as I tried to hold it all together.

“Just tell me you’ll get some. Please. And I swear that I’ll be there with you every step of the way. You won’t have to do it alone.”

That was when the sob escaped from my chest. Because it was exactly how I had felt for so long now.

Alone.

“You promise?” I whispered, pressing my forehead to his as he ducked his to mine.

“I promise.” He ran his finger over the diamond hearts on my hand. “It’s you and me. Forever. Perfectly fucking matched, remember?”

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