Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 398

The familiar scent of him hit me, and so did that suffocating feeling.

I stood frozen for a moment, until his low voice cut through the tension. "Do you really care about him that much now?"

My fingers curled at my sides. There was a time when I cared this much about Jace, too. I used to text him just to let him know I was having dinner with Lena, even though he never really appreciated it.

And now, when my care was for someone else, he had the audacity to get upset and ask me this?

"Yeah, I do. Of course I care about him. He's my man. Why wouldn't I?" I locked eyes with him as I said it, letting it sting.

A direct hit, a trick I'd learned from him.

Even though Jace and I had been over for a while, it didn't erase the pain he'd left behind.

There were moments when those scars still burn.

So if I can throw a verbal punch and make him feel even a sliver of what I went through, why not?

Of course, that only would work if he still cared. Otherwise, my hit wouldn't land at all.

Jace's eyes narrowed, a coldness creeping in. A sure sign his anger was building.

told me everything I needed to

Interesting.

even after publicly moving on with

1. me. His ex.

a small way to ease

I didn't have the energy for that. I needed to find a phone and explain everything to

I'd run off... worse, with my ex. No

pain too well. It's not

make Hayden feel the way I

turned to leave, but Jace grabbed my waist, pulling me back

against him, instinctively, but

punishing me," he said. "I deserve it. I brought this on myself, and I accept

Wait, what?

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Chapter 398

Punishing him?

to punish him?

couldn't believe what I

come to terms with the fact that we were over-that he'd accepted I was with Hayd and we'd

mocking laugh. "Is