Flawless Prize

The minute the doors close, he shoves me against the wall. “Have you lost your bloody mind?” he roars. “Going up against Nero Barretti single-handed? You deserve to die, because you’re clearly too goddamn stupid to live!”

I slump back, suddenly exhausted. “Don’t start with me.”

“Somebody better fucking start, you were this close to winding up dead in an unmarked grave. Fuck.” Logan shakes his head. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

“That someone has to stop that animal!” I reply. “Do you know what he did to Juliet?”

He gives me a look. “Who do you think called me? She was afraid you were about to do something stupid. Which, surprise surprise, you were.”

I scowl, pushing past him into the lobby. “I don’t need a babysitter. Next time she calls you, don’t—” I freeze when I see his sedan, parked behind mine.

Juliet’s standing next to his car, leaning on a cane, her face etched with worry. She’s clutching her sweater closed and looks just as frail as she did in the hospital, when I left her an hour ago.

She should still be in the goddamn hospital. That she’s here, so close to Nero—

It’s more than I can take.

I stalk over to her. “What made you think you could leave the hospital?”

“They discharged me. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine!” I yell. “And you shouldn’t be out here. Why the fuck would you—”

“I was worried about you!” she cries.

“It’s none of your business what I do,” I grind out. Nero could be watching us now, or his people. His threat echoes in my ears.

“Now that I know how much she means to you…”

Fuck.

I’m putting her in more danger now. The last thing I wanted.

“It’s over between us,” I tell her harshly, hating the way she flinches at my words. “So stay the hell out of my life. Got it?”

“It’s my life too,” she replies, stubborn. “I’m the one who it happened to, in case you’re forgetting.”

“How can I forget that? I’m trying to protect you!”

She glances away. People are stopping on the street to watch us, or swerving away from the drama. She nods, and the next time she speaks, her voice is softer. “I know. I get it. But Caleb, I don’t want you to fly off the handle and get hurt. That’s not going to solve anything.”

“I’m fine.”

She glances at Logan. “You nearly weren’t.”

She’s right about that. But I don’t want her to be the one saving me. Not after the shit I put her through. What we need is to stay apart. So I can fix this.

So she doesn’t get hurt again.

But as long as I keep Juliet in my life, Nero will keep coming and coming until my debts are settled.

Fuck.

She reaches for me.

I back away. “No.

Leave me alone,” I tell her, hating how betrayed she looks. All I want to do is hold her and make everything OK, but it’s the only way.

I have to hurt her now in order to protect her.

It goes against every instinct in my body, but I force the words out all the same. “I don’t want to see you, or talk to you. I meant every word I said before the crash,” I lie. “So get the fuck out of my life.”

I walk away before I can take it all back.

Before I see her cry.