Page 54 of No Place Like Home

“What are you doing with him?” My question came out harsher than I intended.

Jess raised a brow, and her dark eyes were blazing with anger.

“What does it look like we’re doing?” she replied as she crossed her arms.

“Looks like you’re walking my dog with some other dude.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better, Hardwell.” Prescott smirked at me. He then turned to Jess and kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome to stop by anytime.”

“Seriously?” I groaned when he left.

“What the hell is your problem? I came to walk your fucking dog.”

“With Prescott.”

“I wasn’t going to take him to the trail. Then everyone would know I had him, and people around here love to talk.”

I stepped closer to her.

She was tiny compared to me—fucking strong, but still fragile. I would have thought I was scaring her by how she started to pant, but her eyes were blazing with anger, and I liked it. Maybe because I’d seen her shut down, her being something other than numb was mesmerizing.

“Are you embarrassed to be seen with my dog?” I took another step closer. “Is this why you’ve never so much as posted a picture wearing my merch?”

I was right in front of her, seeing how my words rattled her. She was like a wounded animal getting backed into a corner, and I wanted—no, Ineeded—for her to snap.

“You don’t want people to know you’re—”

The wordminewas on the tip of my tongue, but we got interrupted by the delivery guy before I could say more.

“Um, no one was answering—” the kid said tentatively as he saw the anger in my face.

Jess took a step forward; her eyes were zeroing on the bags.

“Thanks,” I said as I rushed to get the groceries from the kid.

He looked at Jess and then at me. It was clear we were arguing, yet this kid wanted to say something and, for the first time, not to praise me, but probably scold me.

“Is that all?” I barked at him.

The poor kid nodded, then ran away—and I didn’t have it in me to care that my self-destructive behavior was what ultimately was killing the remainder of my career.

“What is that?” Jess demanded as she pointed at the bags.

“Nothing,” I lied.

Jess took a step forward, no longer cowering. She tried to go for the bag, but I pulled it back, not before the bottles rattled.

“Give me that,” she said through gritted teeth as she tried once more to take the bag away from me.

“Leave it alone, Jess,” I warned.

She didn’t leave it at all, and I didn’t know why I expected her to. She came at me, trying to get a hold of the bag as she seemed almost possessed. I might have found it funny if I wasn’t angry at the world. Her leg twisted, and I had a decision to make: keep holding the bags or let her fall.

My arm wrapped around her at the same time I heard the glass shatter.

The smell of alcohol engulfed us in seconds.

“You. Are. Pathetic,” she hissed.

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