Chapter 25

Jordan couldn’t breathe—couldn’t move.

She hadn’t been meant to hear this story, she knew that. Not like this, anyway. Luke had intended to share his horrible history with his friends, not an outsider.

But she couldn’t unhear it, and…

She sort of wanted to. Jordan hadn’t really understood until this moment that it was possible to hurt for another human being, because it felt like her heart was breaking for Luke.

“I’m so sorry,” she managed, before finally ordering her feet to move and backing out of the room.

Running in cowboy boots was awkward as heck, but she did it anyway, ignoring the puzzled stares of Luke’s fellow firefighters.

She made it as far as her car before Luke caught up with her, his hand wrapping around her arm and pulling her to face him. “How long do I have?”

She blinked. “How long until what?”

“You said you were sorry,” he said, his face unreadable. “I’m assuming that’s a preemptive apology for you running to tell your bosses that my story is even more titillating than they could have possibly imagined.”

Jordan went still and stared up at him. “That’s what you think? That I’m off to call my boss? To sell you out?”

“Why the hell not? That’s the entire reason you’re still here, right? To see if I’d make for good ratings? Well, congrats, City. I’ve been holding out on you. It’s going to be more explosive than you can possibly imagine when you drag my ex into town.”

“I would never tell anyone what I overheard,” she whispered.

He made a derisive sound of disbelief. “Yeah right.”

“This is what you think of me?” she said quietly. “After all we’ve been through…”

“Which is what, a couple hot nights in the sack?”

Jordan’s heart had been hurting ever since hearing Luke and Eva’s history, but her pain doubled, and this time some of it was for herself. She slowly pulled her arm away from his grip.

His fingers tightened reflexively, but she gave him a death stare that had him slowly dropping his hand.

“Jordan—”

“Don’t,” she said, cutting him off. “Don’t. You’ve made yourself clear. I think we’re done here.”

“Like hell,” he said, reaching for her again.

“Don’t touch me!”

Her shout seemed to echo off the pavement, and she gave a quick glance to see if they had an audience, but everyone seemed to know well enough to leave them alone.

“What am I supposed to think, Jordan?” he said, his voice low. “Last time I saw you, you told me you’re bringing to town the very woman who nearly destroyed me. Then you show up just as I finally get the courage to tell my friends the truth—”

“Your friends, but not me,” she said. “I asked you what happened with Eva; you wouldn’t tell me. Because you don’t trust me.”

He looked away, his silence confirming her statement. Jordan felt a tear in her heart.

“I told you things I’ve never told a single person,” she whispered. “Things about my past, my family…I trusted you with everything.”

“Sure, and then you blindside me with news that your fucking TV show is still a go and that I’ve been demoted from the star to a mere pawn in the Eva show. How was I supposed to interpret that? How was I supposed to think that our time together was anything other than you softening me up to drop a bomb, make sure I played nice?”

“Are you kidding me right now?” she asked, genuinely stunned. “You think I would use sex for professional gain?”

His glare was cold. “Tell your people I’m done cooperating. I’m not going to be a part of Eva’s story.”

She snorted. “Right. When have you ever cooperated with any of this?”

“Just tell them,” he said, taking a step back as though done with her. With them. “Then you can get back to New York and we can both pretend this whole train wreck never fucking happened.”

Well, that was just fine. Because she was done too. Screw him. This was why she didn’t put herself out on the line; this was why she’d never let anyone in after what had happened to her family.

Because people had power to hurt you if you let them. She’d given Luke that power.

Biggest mistake she’d ever made.

He’d hurt her. Badly.

“I already did,” she called after his retreating back.

He turned around. “What?”

She reached for the handle and opened the door of her rental car. “I already told my bosses not to bring Eva here—and that if they did, I wanted no part of it.”

He stared at her hard. “When?”

“An hour ago. It’s what I came to tell you. Before you dropped your little bombshell,” she said pointedly.

His eyes flared, realization flickering over his face. “Why? Why would you do that?”

She held his gaze for a long moment. “Figure it out, Luke. Figure it out.”

Jordan got into her car and drove away, and only when she was out of his sight did she let the tears come.

They didn’t let up until she got to the airport.