or Jaso

d been so lost in my own misery that I hadn't

his cla

mach d

sleeves were still rolled up, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He wa

ace was already blotchy, my breathing uneven. There was no wa

elf up, gripping my bag with trembling

t. Just tilted his head slight

e spoke. "You're

ng. My voice felt

d, his eyes never leaving

forcing myself to straight

e he knew I was lying. Like he co

The air felt heavy, charged with

and through his brown hair. "

ned. "

. "If you need to leave, go

rown off by h

ons. He wasn't offering

a c

heart still hamm

l logic, I slowly sa

edge of the desk. My heart was still pounding,

alking toward his desk. He didn't say anything right away. He just pi

ched, but it wasn

in, mortified that he

e," he said suddenly, not looking up. His voice was

own at my lap. "I don't kno

ling me with a look that felt li

You don't just walk into an empty cl

w. "It's none of

He set his papers down and leaned against his desk, cross

ed. "No

ou going to sit there in silence, or a

n't sound kind or gentle, but he wasn't cruel either.

ng away. "Why wo

like it was obvious. "W

. Who was

me about professionalism or asking if I needed help.

fingers tightening ar

stop myself, the

voice barely above a whi

e meaningless sympathy. He just nodd

him. "I'm no

lightly. "You ran

t him, but then I stopped.

spir

augh, shaking my head.

esk and walking toward me. My breath hitched slightly

enough that I could see the

he said, his voice lo

ran down

s into his pockets. "But if you let som

w, something fli

his desk. "Figure out what you wa

my mind a whirl

e all day, I wasn't t

inking a

ing had shifted, like Jason Carter had

I should've grabbed my bag a

I di

e, staring at him a

uy ruin you, you'

hael win? Letting his betrayal dictate

y hoodie sleeve. "That's eas

e, his expression

k, he grabbed his coffee mug from the desk and took a sl

ust made me ques

ply. "Whatever

anything as I pushed myself up

the door, his voice cu

cto

fr

g from him. Like he was testing

y hand still on the

own all you want," he said smoothly, "but at some point, you have t

harder than th

. Hated that his voice sent a str

n't a

urned the handle

e hallway, my heart still rac

n't just my subs

ing to be