The Dare (The Bet 3)

"Did you send the reporters?" The agent rubbed his face and sighed.

"It's possible."

"So that's a yes."

Grandma picked at her sweater. "I'm elderly, memory's not what it used to be."

"And just how was ratting out the senator supposed to help the relationship? If anything, it made it worse."

"It didn't." Grandma smirked. "Because clearly the senator is still missing, and so is she."

Jace

The look on Beth's face devastated me, like a punch to the gut. I tried to catch my breath, but every inhale was filled with utter disgust and panic. I'd just told her to her face, for the third time that day, that she wasn't enough. But I'd done it to protect her — to give her time to decide what she felt about me. Instead, she'd walked away. Not me. Her.

Every insecurity she must have felt about herself was probably scratching to the surface, and it was all my fault. All because I was selfish careless bastard. Every instinct told me to run after her, but what would that do? She'd probably slap me and end up on the six o'clock news. So I stayed rooted to the ground and did my damn job — I smiled pretty for the cameras, and I smoothed things over. Never in my life had I had to work so hard to pretend like my world wasn't crashing down around me.

"Senator," another reporter shoved a microphone in my face, "Channel Five, can you tell us why you're visiting the islands?"

A flash went right off in my line of vision…

I heard screeching tires all over again, and then glass went everywhere. A flashlight was shined in my eyes. "Son, are you al

right?"

I forced a tight smile. "Much needed vacation."

"But our sources say that—"

"Excuse me." I pushed away from the crowd to Jake and Char. They'd come as reinforcements to help convince Beth to stay.

The reporters followed me.

Char opened her mouth, but Jake covered it with his hand. "Not here."

We walked outside and got into a cab.

I was tense as hell.

"Why?" Char whispered.

"What did you want him to do, Char?" Jake jumped to my defense. "Call her out on national television? Say that they were together? Steal the last shred of privacy she may have had? The way I see it is he made it easier for her to run."

"She's not running!" Char fired back. "She's hurt!"

"So am I!" I yelled, realizing too late that I had given myself away.

Char grabbed my hand, but I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel anything.

I'd told myself I wouldn't get attached, and look where that had gotten me. In the exact predicament I hadn't wanted to be in. I wasn't heartbroken. I was too angry with myself and angry with the situation to feel anything worthwhile.

The anger didn't dissipate. If anything, it intensified when we pulled up to the resort, and my parents were waiting in the lobby with Grandma in tow.

I expected lots of yelling and confusion. What I didn't expect was for my father to pull me in to a giant hug and pat my back, like he was still somehow proud of the ass his son had become.

My mom smiled sadly and squeezed my hand.

"Let's go have a nice morning chat." Dad led me toward one of the restaurants.