Page 126 of Outside The Wire

“Holly,” I corrected. “Not just because of her. Jade, look back on our relationship. It started with your father threatening both our lives if I didn’t marry you. Nothing about our relationship was normal.”

“No, you’re right,” she chuckled. “But there was something there. I know you felt it.”

“Yeah, I did. But, Jade, you can’t build a relationship on intense situations. There has to be more to it. We were thrust together and did the best we could.”

She flinched back as hurt spread across her face. “Wait, are you saying you only loved me because I was the only one there?”

“No, I’m saying I loved you, but…but in the long run, would it have really worked out? We didn’t choose to be together. We didn’t date first. I didn’t ask you to be my wife. You never planned your perfect wedding. Hell, you didn’t even know who I really was. You still don’t. That guy—the one I told you about when you finally discovered I wasn’t Asher Black—he was not who I am today. He’s a version of me. But I’ve changed. I can’t be who you need me to be.”

“Because of your job?” she asked incredulously. “That’s easy enough. Chase said you’re working as a mechanic. You’re way too good for that. So, quit and join OPS again. You can have the life you had before.”

“You never would have cared before if I was a mechanic or a protection agent. Suddenly, my profession matters to you?”

“I don’t want to see you wasting your life doing a job that wastes your talents.”

I gritted my teeth, irritated that she wasn’t getting it. “You’re not listening to me, Jade. That’s not me, anymore.”

“You’re running away because you’re scared. You don’t know who you are anymore. You need to be reminded of what kind of man you are.”

“Actually, I’m well aware of who I am and who I want to be,” I snapped. “What I did to you—what your father turned me into—is something I never want again. That job twisted me into something I hated. I left that life behind and I became the man I wanted to be. This is me. Accept that or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Because you don’t want me anymore,” she huffed.

“Because we don’t belong together,” I said calmly. “Jade, this is over. I can’t stay with you.”

She blinked back the tears, wiping them away with a nod. “I guess we’ve both changed.”

I sighed, grateful she wasn’t arguing with me anymore.

“So…a mechanic,” she chuckled. “I really didn’t see that coming. You don’t even carry a gun anymore?”

“Nope.”

She studied me…really studied me, then nodded slightly. “I see it. The change. You’re…lighter.”

“Lighter?”

“When I saw you in the restaurant…” She pressed her hand to her mouth, closing her eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing. “When I saw you, there was this big smile on your face and you looked so happy. I’d never seen you like that before.”

“Jade—”

“It’s okay, Asher,” she shot me a teary smile. “So, what’s Holly like?”

I really didn’t want to talk to her about Holly. “Jade, let’s not do this.”

“Sorry.”

I pushed to my feet, ready to end this uncomfortable visit. All I wanted was to see Holly and hold her in my arms. If only she would take me back. I just had to beg and plead that this wasn’t over between us.

“Can I see you again before I leave?”

“We’ll need to figure out how to proceed with the divorce.”

She shoved her hands in her back pockets and nodded. “Yeah. Just tell me when and where.”

“Okay. You have my number, right?”

“I’ll get it from Chase.”

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