Page 84 of Give Me Redemption

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I…” She gets off the mattress, standing with sorrow in her eyes.

“You what?” I’m so confused right now. Am I really the only one feeling this way here?

“Jace, I really like you, but this is too much. I can’t…”

“You can’t what? I didn’t expect you to say it back. Fuck, forget I said it.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what?” I move from the mattress and stand up. “What the fuck is it? We have been going in circles for months now, Dalton. Why can’t you be with me?”

“I want to. I just...”

“You just what?” I ask her. “Goddammit. Fucking talk to me.” Her eyes dance around the room.

It’s right there.

Whatever she needs to say is right on the tip of her tongue and yet, she won’t let it out. I run a frustrated hand over my head. I want to hit something.

“I can’t fucking do this anymore. You’re killing me. I can’t be around you and not touch you. I don’t know who fucked you up or why I’m not good enough, but I’m done with this shit.”

My phone starts ringing, and I look over at it. It’s Bryce. I ignore it, but then he calls back again. And then I see I have missed texts and calls. I guess I didn’t have service, and they’re just now coming through. “Hello?”

“Jace, where the fuck are you?” he asks. His voice sounds panicked.

“Why?”

“Mary overdosed. I need you… Fuck,” he says. “Can you come?”

“I’m out of town. I’ll be there in the morning. Is she alive?”

“Yeah,” he says. “She’s holding on.”

“Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I hang up. I don’t care for the woman, but shit, it is our mom and Bryce is tore the fuck up. I wish there wasn’t a storm. I’d leave right now.

“Is it your mom?” Dalton asks.

“It’s none of your concern,” I say. “I’ll sleep in the other room.”

“Jace, you’ll freeze. Please sleep here.”

“Don’t you fucking get it?” I ask her in disbelief. “I can’t sleep here. I can’t be near you.” I walk into the room and slam the door shut behind me, leaving the warmth of her, the fire, and everything I thought I was about to have.

She did this.

And I’m shattered.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Harlow

I ball my fists as I stare after him. I want to scream and tear this room apart.

This isn’t fair, goddammit.

My heart is ripped to shreds, the pieces falling inside my chest. My lungs hurt, my body wound so tightly, I could implode.

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