The Dare (The Bet 3)

"Guess we're lucky you didn't fall in love, right? I guess you were right all along. In the end, one of us is walking away. Only this time, you're going to be the one watching, while I do what I should have done the first day I got here."

"What's that?" His voice was hoarse.

"Leave."

"Don't," Jace whispered, taking a step toward me. "We'll figure it out. Just don't walk away." His eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"Give me a reason to stay. Give me something. Give me truth."

Jace opened his mouth, but nothing came out. That was the part that hurt the most. He was able to give me the words when it was for his benefit. He was ready to do the big gestures, but when I needed him the most, he didn't pull through. He froze, because in the end he still wasn't sure about us, and if he wasn't sure now, he never would be.

"Let's talk about this," he tried again.

His smile made me sick.

"Come on, Beth, don't do anything rash. Just give me a fe

w minutes to gather my thoughts. You did wake me up out of a dead sleep, you know."

He looked so disoriented I almost felt guilty. Almost being the key word.

Ignoring him, I walked into the bathroom and started putting all of my belongings into my suitcase.

"Beth—"

I stepped around him. "Jace?"

Again, he had no words.

"Enjoy the rest of your vacation." I threw my clothes into my suitcase and zipped it up. The clock near the bed said 5:15 a.m. If I was lucky, I could catch the first flight out. Then again, I hadn't been lucky in a very, very long time.

"If you go—" Jace's voice cracked.

"If I go, what?"

"If you walk away, it's your choice. You're choosing to be afraid. You're choosing to walk away from us."

"Meaning?" I whispered, my back to him.

"I'm not going to chase someone who doesn't want to be chased. I'm not going to pursue a girl who doesn't even realize why she's worthy of a pursuit. I care for you, Beth, but in my line of work, trust is the number one factor that builds a relationship, and if you already don't trust me, we're doomed before we even start."

Warm tears spilled onto my cheeks. "I know."

The door clicked shut behind me.

Chapter Thirty-one

"Are you crying?" Grandma leaned forward over the table an offered the agent a Kleenex.

"Gnat, it, uh, flew into my eye."

"Both of them?"

"So she left?" The agent sniffled. "And it's your fault."

"Yes. To all of the above."

Jace