Chapter 82
James takes off, leaving me in the armory.
Jess strolls in.
She’s tall and lean. Her pretty face is a little uncertain, but otherwise, looking as beautiful as she’s ever been.
Most males would think her a 10.
But somewhere along the way, I lost my affection for her perfect blond hair and her pale eyes. She’s too thin.
Somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with messy dark hair, a riot of curls that are haphazard, and a face that’s too stubborn to ever be a classic beauty.
“So I hear you’re expecting.”
She snorts.
“Was that said just for your Luna’s benefit?”
She crosses her arms. “I h ate when you call her that.”
“It’s what she is.”
“No. It’s what you want her to be.”
Same thing, isn’t it?
“We have to move on, Jess.”
“I agree. She’s out. Back to the Roberts where she belongs.” She moves across the room and grabs my hands.
There’s no spark. Not even a tiny frisson.
“You promised me,” she whispers.
I squeeze her hands. “I did. But we were kids then, Jess. Look me in the eyes and tell me. Tell me you feel the same way you did when we were sixteen.”
She glances away.
“Is there someone else?” I ask her.
It’d be easier. For da mn sure. And she deserves someone.
She shakes her head.
“But you know what I mean though, yeah? It’s not the same.”
Again she looks away.
“Say what you need to say,” I whisper.
This girl is like family to me. I owe her at least some compassion.
“You falling for her… it’s a betrayal of our pack. It’s a betrayal of my dead family.”
I can’t change how she feels. And she’s entitled to feel that
way.
“We’re all victims in war, Jess.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You don’t care about anyone. Not really.”
I let go of her hands and step back.
“You’re cold. The only focus you have is your responsibility. So maybe before you hold up some mirror for me to look inside myself and figure out all ‘my feelings’ you should do the same. Because you don’t care about Leah. Not anymore than you ever cared about me. It’s power you crave, Aaron. Any female in your life…she’ll just be a means to an end.”
She smiles now. Then she turns and walks back toward the
door. “I’m sure you think you’re capable of love. But I know
you. You don’t love anybody. And Leah…she’s just another tool
to you. It’s her power and her title that you crave. Take away that, and she’ll be just like me. Forgotten and replaceable.”
I open my mo uth but I’m not sure what to say.
“Don’t say anything,” she tells me as if reading my mind. “It’s who you are, Aaron. Honestly, Leah being stuck with you is probably the best revenge…”
She reaches into my back pocket and I’m wondering what the he ll she’s thinking. But when she whips out my wallet, opens it and pulls out my black AmEx, it starts to make more sense.
“I think I’ll take a vacation for a while. I’ve earned it.” Her expression is cold. “I played the part you wanted all this time, haven’t I?”
My face must give something away. Because it’s true. I used her. Countless times to make Leah jealous.
She drops my wallet and walks out of the room.
As she goes, I feel like this moment is pivotal, and letting Jess go… it’s going to come back to punish me.
