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.

I needed to know-he still

Interesting.

never would've guessed that, even after publicly moving on with someone else, he'd still

1. me. His ex.

dig in, a small way to ease

the energy for that. I needed to find a phone and explain everything

worse, with my ex. No matter how much Hayden loved me or trusted me, I knew this would hit hard.

knew that pain too well. It's not something you just

ever make Hayden feel

but Jace grabbed my waist, pulling me back against his

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?

was with Hayden to punish

couldn't believe what I

were over-that he'd accepted I was with Hayd and we'd both moved on. Never did I imagine he still thought I was using Hayden to

a mocking laugh.