Bryce

I watch her leave. The love of my love runs away from me toward the door to exit. Renee and my mother come rushing upstairs. They look at me, and Renee automatically knows I’ve messed up.

“Go!” she orders. “She’s the best thing in your life, so go!”

I don’t hear what she’s saying, but I get up and head out of the restaurant. I try her cell, and it goes to voicemail. I call Kaylee, and it’s the same thing, so I text her and Henry.

Bryce: If Madison contacts you, please tell me.

Kaylee: What happened?

Henry: Fuck, man.

Bryce: She knows everything…

Kaylee: What’s everything?

Bryce: Henry, fill her in. Please let me know if you see her. I need to talk to her.

Knowing she’s not at the hotel, I have my driver drive to JFK. She’s most likely going to go back to Chicago. I know she is and I know she won't take my jet back home.

Hurrying inside, I look for any signs of her. The counter for one airline is free, and I run over, hoping they have something for me. Anything.

“Excuse me. Are there any flights going to Chicago?”

The representative looks at me, then her computer. “No, I’m sorry sir. Not until tomorrow. Can I …?”

I leave that counter and head to three more before giving up. She’s not here. Where the hell is she?

I call her again, and it still goes to voicemail.

Getting back to the hotel, I walk into our suite and notice her things are gone. Everything is gone.

Aimlessly, I walk around, trying to find anything that’ll give me a sign of where she could be. Then a piece of paper with my name on it grabs my attention.

Bryce,

I don’t know or want to know why you picked me. Out of all the women in Chicago, why did you have to make me fall in love with you? If your “deal” was to protect me and ensure I had a good future, well, you failed. Did you even love me, or was I just a pawn in your game?

Please don’t contact me. You’ll never find me, and I’ll make sure of it.

Madison

The letter falls from my hands, and I do the same. My world goes dark. I’m back to where I was living before she came into my life and brought the light. The mini bar is near, so I open it, grabbing the bottles and twisting the caps off each one, doing my best to drink away the pain.

Drink her away.

Madison

A few weeks pass and I’m back in Chicago. I had to get away and get clarity. Since Kaylee’s mostly with Henry, I’ve taken her room at Galen’s. I haven’t heard from Bryce, and I’m okay with that. My heart hurts. Everything we shared is gone.

Tainted.

I visit my dad, and he’s doing okay, but with the doctor’s appointment he had the other day, his prognosis is not looking good. He’s refusing any and all medications. There’s a nurse living with him, and I’m there every day until he falls asleep. We don’t do too much. During the majority of my time there, he’s sleeping, so I read to him.

A knock on my bedroom door gets my attention. Kaylee and Henry walk in holding a brown bag. She smiles, and I burst into tears.

“Oh, baby girl. I’m so sorry.”

“I miss him.” I cry, hugging myself, trying to will away the pain. “I miss him.”

“He misses you too, Madison.” Henry stands in the corner, keeping his distance. “I know you don’t want to see him, but he’s on the way.”

“What?” Kaylee and I say in unison.

A hard knock pulls me away from them and looking out of my bedroom door. Fuck. He’s here.

“I need to get it. He’s a mess, Madison. Just give him a chance.”

Kaylee brings me close to her, comforting me as much as she can. I watch Henry walk out the bedroom, and I cry again. Even harder than before.

Bryce walks in. He looks miserable. Like me. He hasn’t shaved in a few days, and he reeks of alcohol.

“Kaylee.” Henry urges her to come to him.

“No. I won’t leave her. You asshole! Why are you doing this to her?” Then she looks at Bryce. “I told you to be careful with her heart. I told you if this was a game to leave her the hell alone.”

“Kaylee,” Henry says again.

“Go. It’s okay,” I softly say.

Kaylee and Henry walk out of the room, leaving just me and Bryce. I don’t know what to say, and I’m sure he’s feeling the same way. I mean, what can we say to each other?

For a while, there’s nothing. No one’s talking or doing anything. I feel the bile in my throat, and all I want to do is vomit.

“Madison, please. You promised you’d never leave me.” His voice is low and shaky. This is so hard. “Where have you been?”

My voice catches in my throat, and I let the tears out again. “It doesn’t matter where I was. You lied to me. You and my dad worked together to fool me or whatever the hell it is you guys do. I’m done. I refuse to be part of the plan or deal. Whatever it is. Just leave me alone.” I’m doing my best to stay strong. My prayers for strength go unanswered. I’m so weak when it comes to Bryce, but I know I have to stay strong. Whatever we have is gone. It was fake.

“Madison. Please look at me.” His voice is quivering, and it’s breaking my heart all over again. The emotional ball in my chest grows. “Madison. I am begging you. Please listen to me.”

I flinch. “No. There’s nothing you can say or do to make me forgive you. You betrayed me. I can’t ever trust you.”

Bryce’s head drops, and he sags against the wall until his body hits the floor. I hate how much pain he’s in, but I can’t allow his pain to make me want to heal him. I’m broken too. Two broken people can’t heal each other. This is just another form of his games.

Of his manipulation.

“You promised.”

I scoff. “And you promised to love me and never lie to me. Look where that’s gotten us. I want you out of my life. Don’t ever speak to me again. We’re done. Over.” The finality of the word hits me in the gut.

His eyes meet mine, and they’re swimming with fierce and sad emotions. The tears pool in his eyes, and soon, I’m crying again too. “No. Don’t say that. We’re going to get through this.”

I shake my head. “We’re not. Please go, Bryce. There’s nothing you can do or say to make me feel better.” The distress washing over his face hammers like a nail in my heart. “You knew who I was the night we met.” A thought comes to me. “Were you the one who threatened Kent?”

“I love you, Madison. I never meant to hurt you. As soon as I made the deal with your dad, I opened the file and saw your picture. I knew I had to protect you and make you mine. That night at the bar, I knew who you were, and I made sure you’d be the one walking into my office. I know I had a plan to get you and knew about you from your father, but as soon as we met, you turned my world upside down, and that’s all the truth. No games. No manipulating.”

“And with Kent?”

Bryce doesn't say anything. His lack of responding tells me exactly what he can't. “He wasn't right for you.”

“That wasn't your decision to make. You manipulated everything. I don’t believe you.” My voice shakes, and I will myself to stay strong. “Just please go. Now.”

“I need you. You’re my world. The air I breathe. Everything good in me is because of you. When I lost Blaire, I lost myself, but then you found me. You brought me back to life.”

I can’t hear this anymore. “Get out!” I scream, and the tears continue streaking my face, rapidly falling from my eyes.

“If I could change how we met, I would, but I’ll never change loving you. You’re a part of me like I’m a part of you.” I want to believe his words are sincere, but how can I? I can’t open myself to his cruel games once more.

“No!” I scream again and point my finger at my chest. “You’re gone. Out of my heart. I don’t love you.”

“Don’t say that,” he begs, gripping his chest and crying with me. “Please, you can’t.”

Bryce gets up and walks toward me. I spring from the bed and refuse to let him near me. “I love you. Baby, I love you so much. You’re my fucking heart and soul.” He drops down to his knees and grabs my waist. His tear-streaked face presses into my belly. Part of me aches to stroke the top of his head and soothe him, but I can’t. I have to be strong.

“Goodbye, Bryce,” I calmly say and wish he’d leave me alone. “The damage is already done and can’t be fixed. We’re done.” I step out of his soul-crushing hold.

“No.” He shakes his head.

I hold the door open, signaling he needs to leave. “Goodbye, Bryce,” I say again, keeping my strength and knowing there’s nothing else he can say.

He searches my face and sees nothing.

There’s no hope.

There’s no light.

The door closes. I hear him talking to Henry, then the front door closes, and I let myself crumple. I let myself sob and scream because this pain will never go away. The only man I’ve truly loved is out of my life.

He broke me.

He destroyed all the light I had in me.

The girl I am has a black heart. There isn’t room for love to grow there anymore.

Our love is dead.

And soon he’ll be out of my heart …