Page 40 of Bind Me, Sir

The blood drained from my face, and I glanced up at him to find his face as thunderous as I felt, but he glared at Luna rather than me. The one thing he hated—the public microscope—and my sister had spilled our secret affair for the world to share in all for a few bucks to help her stay out of jail.

I faced her once more, beyond angry, beyond any depth of emotion I’d ever felt in my entire damn life. All trace of guilt, of paying my penance for whatever childhood faults I blamed for our father’s drunkenness ripped away. “Get. Out.” I snipped each word out with a finality I never thought to feel toward my only living relative. “Now.”

Luna pushed off the couch. “Gladly,” she said with a huff. “You’ve never been anything but a worrying mother hen bent on ruining my life anyway.”

“I ruined your life?” My voice rose. “I gave mine up for you! Wasted it! You ... you ungrateful bitch! You’re the one making wrong choices and getting into trouble. All I’ve ever wanted to do was keep you from harm! Keep you healthy and on a path Mom would have been proud of. You made this decision, Luna, just like Dad did that night. You. I had nothing to do with it.”

My own words crashed over me, stealing my breath, and I sagged beneath the sudden release of truth, although anger over what my sister had done still twisted my stomach.

“Whatever.” She pushed past me, and I glared at her back, wanting to spew every vile word I could think of. I wanted a fist full of her hair tangled through my fingers. I wanted my hand print on her damn cheek!

A warm hand clasped my bare shoulder, and I shied away with a gasp.

The anger had faded from Jordan’s eyes a bit, and a torrent of tears suddenly poured from mine.

“I’m s-so sorry!” I shook, wrapping my arms around myself. I broke. Every inch of me shattered into bits.

I had dedicated my life to protect and raise my sister, and the second she seemed to open back up to me, I ruined the beauty I’d held in my hands—my memories of the best night of my entire existence.

Jordan pulled me into his arms and I melted, my tears falling harder. Faster.

She’d not only betrayed me, but even more so a man I cared about, one who had trusted me enough, perhaps even liked me enough to break his own limits he’d held onto in order to protect himself.

“I had no idea, I swear,” I managed the second I could speak through my tears. “I told her about that night in the strictest confidence because I was just so ... full ... so lonely in wanting to share the brief moment of happiness you’d given me.”

Jordan soothed a hand over my wet hair dangling down my back, his touch sure. Comforting. But he didn’t say it was okay. He didn’t tell me not to worry about it.

My tears continued, and I didn’t bother lifting my face off Jordan’s suit coat when he stiffened beneath my grasp.

“Don’t bother,” he muttered, and I realized Luna must have returned.

“Nat—”

“Everything I’ve done for you,” I repeated, cutting her off, my eyes clenched shut, “and this is how you repay me?”

“Nat—”

“I’m done, Luna.” I swallowed against the ache in my throat, unable to even look at her. “Leave and don’t come back. You’ve made your bed—time to sleep in it.”

“You’re going to toss me out over this?” Luna’s voice rose, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. She’d killed whatever bond we might have shared. “This is nothing! Miniscule compared to some of the shit I’ve pulled!”

“But this shit hurt more than just yourself,” I told her. “You crossed a line, Luna, one I’m not willing to forgive right now—if ever.”

“Come on, Nat. You’re going to let Mom down—”

“Get out, Luna!” Jordan’s tone brooked no argument, and I cringed in his hold.

The door slammed a second later, and the truth I had let my mom down stole the strength from my legs and ripped another sob from my chest.

Jordan lifted me up into his arms before I hit the floor, holding me tight against his hard chest. I clung to him and cried, aware he sat on the edge of my bed.

“I’ve ruined everything,” I muttered a few minutes later when my tears finally seemed to relent.

He didn’t argue, and I realized I truly had.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jordan

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