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This has an end date…
Jack had said something similar to me right before he left me. Crushing my world. What was worse was the expression on his face. Dark, dangerous, and pained.
“And you’ve had this end date in mind from the beginning?” he asked. And that was the blade in my gut that twisted. I may not have come up with the hard date until recently, but I’d known from the start this would all end. How things had changed. It was Jack on the other side of this conversation this time. I had to stand there and tell him…
“Yes. I’ve known from the beginning that this won’t work.” But last night confirmed it.
The ache redoubled, and I wondered for a moment if he felt this kind of stab when he’d said the same thing to me all those months ago. Did it matter? Maybe. Because this feeling was gutting. Especially when I had to stare down the man that had my heart and tell him I was walking away.
It’s for the best.
Suddenly, my argument didn’t hold water. Jack had said once that timing was everything. And I would have given everything for him to have stayed. Now, I was the one pulling away and all the reasons seemed second in comparison to remaining in his life, his arms, forever.
But I love Cal too…
I shook my head. Strength. Any of it I could call on, I did. I needed that will power now more than ever.
“Once the company is sold, there will be no more ties to Anita or Brock,” I said. Despite Jack’s words, I wasn’t naïve enough to think that the fire to my house or my father’s death didn’t matter and those two VanBurens didn’t know something about either. Hopefully, they’d be happy to have nothing between us, and while I waited for the burden of proof to show up, I’d have to be okay with taking care of myself. Now I just had to convey that to Jack.
“I’ll be okay. I’ll find a place, have an alarm installed. School starts soon, and that will keep me busy.”
I was listing things like it was necessary to convince myself, and Jack, why this was going to happen. But the excuses fell short. The truth was, it didn’t have anything to do with my safety. It had to do with Jack and Cal.
“I won’t allow this,” Jack said in a deep, menacing voice.
“You don’t have a choice. It’s what I’m doing.”
He grinned, but there was nothing light about it. “Oh, I have a choice,” he said with salt. “Just like you have a choice to carry out this little plan of yours. You want your life back? Fine. Have it. But don’t think I won’t be there.” Another step. “Because you are my life, Lana. And I want it back too.”
My chest snapped in half like a wooden pencil. My ribs couldn’t handle the pressure his words delivered.
He stopped so close that all I saw was his chest. He gathered my hair in his hand, wrapped some of it in his fist, and yanked enough to bring my chin up to have my gaze meet his. The slight sting of his grip sent shivers to every part of my body. His touch, his pull, was perfection. Even when he was right in front of me, I craved more.
“Cal got to touch your hair, so I assume this doesn’t violate your rules,” he rasped. That sneaky man. He’d must have seen Cal and me in the kitchen, then purposefully went back to his office to call me.
I narrowed my glare on him. He obviously knew I’d figured out his maneuver. My gaze went from his eyes to his mouth, and I was going to give in any second. I needed to get away. I needed to stay.
I couldn’t do either.
“I need…” I looked into his eyes again, and wanted to finish that sentence in so many ways. Instead, I went with, “paper.”
He frowned and took a step back. Letting my hair fall from his fist.
I righted myself on a shaky breath and clarified. “And a pen please.”
Jack walked to his desk and gave me a legal pad and pen. I grabbed them quickly and left.
It was time I followed through.
Chapter 19
He makes me feel confident…
He makes me feel strong…
He makes me feel safe…
He makes me feel seen…
