The Fear That Divides Us (The Devil's Dust #3)(21)

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, it’s all bullshit,” she replies, her forehead creasing with irritation. Nothing is any of my business, a line I hear from her more often than not.

I walk up to her, and get right in her face. My vision blurring from the fury running through my veins.

“It is my f*cking business when you crawl in my bed with a f*cking engagement ring on your hand, and come on my cock!” I yell, my face inches from hers.

“I’m not engaged to anybody!” she screams back at me, showing me her hand.

Relief floods my system, my head that was once pounding from the rush of blood flowing through me dissipating. I take a deep breath, and back away from Jessica.

“Who is this guy?” I ask, nodding toward the paper in her hands. He has to be someone important for cameras to be following him around taking his picture.

She looks back at the paper, and shakes her head. “Just some guy I work with,” she remarks. I turn looking at the parking lot, and inhale sharply. I’m angry, more than I have ever been. The idea of Jessica being engaged, or dating someone so serious has my entire world at an end. But still, why did she come to my bed last night if she had a date with that guy? Does she do this often?

“Was he why you came to my bed last night?” Her head snaps up from the paper, her eyes pinning me down as her eyebrows furrow inward. She looks around her, and walks closer.

“What? Is that another one of your hard limits? We’re not supposed to talk about us?” I question, my tone harsh. She opens her mouth to reply, but I cut her off. “You can’t be seen with the likes of an outlaw is what this is all about, what it’s ever been about,” I announce, damn near shouting.

“Why are you acting like this?” Jessica tilts her head to the side, her eyes scanning my puffed-out chest, and curled fists. I have never behaved like this before; my emotions have me acting like an idiot.

“Do you talk to him? Do you tell him things you won’t tell me?” I stalk toward her, and lean in close, lifting her chin with my finger. I want her to look me in the eyes when she answers me.

“This is enough. I need to get back to work,” Jessica states, jerking her chin from my hold, and handing me the newspaper. I scoff. Typical Jessica. If I start asking any questions, she bails. When is enough, enough?

I inhale deeply, trying to calm myself. “All I have ever wanted was to protect you, and all I ever asked in return was for you to be open with me,” I mutter.

She has never opened up to me. Not ever. Last night when she asked if I knew her, I was shocked. Her tone was sentimental yet desperate. It wasn’t like Jessica, not at all. She took my dick like it was her lifeline last night.

“Bobby, you and I both know what we were getting into when we started sleeping with each other. There is nothing between us and never will be. There can’t be,” she replies softly, her words angering me.

I always thought we were just denying that we wanted nothing more than to be friends, saving ourselves from the reality of what could happen if we didn’t work out. But hearing her say those words without so much as a blink of an eye, feels like a bullet to the f*cking chest, releasing the reality that I am nothing to Jessica and never will be.

I look back at her, her arms crossed in front of her, her blonde hair blowing with the breeze. I glance back at myself, all puffed out and angry. I’ve lost control. I’ve f*cking snapped. I can’t do this anymore.

“We are done,” I mutter.

“What?” she asks frazzled, her eyes widening at my statement.

“You don’t want anything from your life to be my business. Don’t want to tell me anything about your past, even though it was me who got you away from your past!” I shout. “Let me make it easy for you. We. Are. Done,” I snap, my jaw ticking.

“Bobby,” Jessica cries out, her tone distraught. I throw my hand up dismissing her, walking back to my bike.

I slam my helmet on my head, looking at Jessica’s pleading eyes as I start my bike. My heart is hammering against my chest and my body is sweating with my impulsive outburst. I don’t want to walk away from Jessica. I don’t want us to be over. But she has clearly made her mind up about me; that I am nothing more than a good f*ck. I’m done taking the attention she throws my way. I need more from her. Me ending us will either have her step outside her comfort zone and give me more of her, or it will end us indefinitely. My chest tightens with that last thought, my hand itching to pull my helmet off and go cradle Jessica in her distressed state. All I have ever wanted was to keep her safe, make her happy. But how can I when she won’t let me in at all? It doesn’t have anything to do with crossing the line and complicating things. It’s about trust. I blow out a breath, look away from her, and drive from my parking spot.





5


Jessica





Is he serious? Is he walking away from me and leaving me? My chest burns and my throat constricts from the emotions bubbling up inside of me, demanding to be released. He just threw me to the side in the middle of a parking lot. I grab the newspaper and stomp inside the hospital searching for Shane. I want to know why I had my f*cking picture taken with him, why I’m supposedly engaged to him, and why anyone would care enough to put it in the paper.

Just as I enter the hospital doors, I find him coming out of a patient’s room. I grab him by the shirt, and drag him into the lounge. Tripping over his feet as he tries to keep up with me, I pull him along.