Page 79 of Sweet, Sweet Jewel: A Sweet Treats Novel

“Let me go!” Jewel tore her wrists from his grip and slanted him a look that made him shiver. “Don’t you dare come near me.”

“Jewel, if you’d calm down and listen to me, you’d know that we want the same thing. Kross behind bars.”

“You lied to me. This isn’t about Kross, Finn. This is about us, about honesty!”

“Would you have let me in if you’d known? When I met you Jewel, you could barely look me straight on. What was I supposed to do?”

Tears glistened in her eyes and the rising sun glinted against them. The sight of her in tears was a slice to the gut. He reached out to touch her but changed his mind and let his hands drop to his sides.

“Jewel, please… give me a chance to properly explain.”

“No, you’ve had enough chances and look what you did with them.” Jewel angrily swiped away a tear that coursed down her cheek. “I’m the fool for buying your lies. I was so busy falling for you that I didn’t see it was all a setup. It’s my loss, Finn. You got what you wanted so leave me alone.”

Finn threw caution to the wind and reached out, pleading with his outstretched hand for her to understand. For her to let him explain.

Jewel shirked back, eyeing that hand with a steely resolve.

“Jewel...”

“Please... just... don't,” she said softly.

Finn didn't let the volume of her voice fool him. Jewel was serious and she wanted nothing to do with him. His feet were glued to the sidewalk as he watched her leave.

Moments later, he got back to his senses and charged after her.

“Jewel!” he yelled, skidding around a corner and looking out into the street. “I get that you’re mad, but it’s dangerous!” He darted his gaze left and right. Houses lined the road.

A dog barked.

Jewel was gone.

25

As long as she remembered, Jewel had been abused and mistreated. It was almost par for the course by now. Once a man was involved, she prepared herself for a stab to the heart.

But that hadn’t been the case with Finn.

He’d been such a good actor that she genuinely believed he was looking out for her, catching feelings the way she was.

Oh, how wrong she’d been.

Pain exploded in her heart, ripping her chest to shreds. She could barely see past the tears and stumbled onto the next street, desperate to get away, to clear her head, to reel her heart back from that spiraling abyss that smelled eerily close to love.

“Idiot,” she mumbled, cursing herself out as she ran.

“Who? Me?” a voice rasped.

Jewel skidded to a stop and glanced at a man leaning against the wall of a grocery store. He was tall with golden skin, brown hair and a thick brown beard. His eyes were downcast, but something about him seemed familiar.

Then he looked up.

And she stared into the eyes of death.

Kross.

He’d done work on his face so he looked different and yet as handsome as he had in the past. But she would never forget that dark gaze.

Jewel’s pulse skittered.

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