PART 3 – CHAPTER 159
JESS
In the corner, leaning casually against the kitchen counter stood the last person I wanted to see today, or maybe he was the only person I did want to see.
Aiden stopped dead in his tracks, his hand tightening around mine as he took in the scene. He turned to Josh, his eyebrows raised. “I thought you said he wasn’t coming?”
“Ì… Your Jeep isn’t here?” I stuttered and asked Luke.
“Yeah. I rented a … wait. How do you know I drive a black Jeep?” Suddenly, everyone turned to me. “How do you know Luke drives a black Jeep?” Josh asked, and the words died in my throat. My eyes darted around, and I could feel my heart start to hammer in my chest.
My eyes finally land on Luke, who has his jaw and fists clenched. His stare is intense, but then I see something else flicker across his face–something like recognition.
“Oh, I forgot. I told her about my Jeep. Never mind,” Luke finally states, and I see everyone else’s faces fall with disappointment. I wanted to say thank you for lying, but I was still frozen in place, and Luke looked away like he was bored.
The words died in my throat as I froze, panic rising inside me like a tidal wave, crashing through my thoughts. But before I could respond, Luke stepped forward, his voice as casual as
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PART 3 – CHAPTER 159
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ever.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” he said with a shrug, glancing at Josh. “But figured Josh here needed someone to put him back on the straight and narrow.”
I hated it.
I hated how his eyes barely flickered across me like I didn’t exist now. Like I was just another person in the room, not the girl who’d spent every waking second trying to forget the sound of his voice.
He strode over to Aiden, holding out his hand.
Aiden shook it, but I could see the reluctance in the tightness of his grip, the way his jaw clenched just a little too hard.
Then Luke glanced at me. Just for a split second. “Jessica.”
Hearing my full name on his lips sent a shiver down my spine.
Suddenly, I was somewhere else. Somewhere distant.
Pressed against a door.
Luke was there – a younger Luke, his face inches from mine. His eyes weren’t cold and distant back then–they were intense, focused, and darkened with something I was too scared to admit, even to myself.
His hand rested on the door beside my head, trapping me between him and the wood. I could feel the heat coming off his skin, the sharp edge of his breath as his gaze dropped to my lips. My heart raced, not from fear but from something else.
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PART 3 CHAPTER 159
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Where was I? How had I gotten here?
I tried to move, to push away, but I couldn’t. My body wouldn’t listen. I was stuck, stuck between him and the door, and his eyes–they weren’t leaving me. They were tracing the curve of my mouth, pulling me into a moment I wasn’t prepared for.
And then-
I blinked, shaking my head. The kitchen came back into focus and I realized everyone was staring at me. Aiden, Josh, my mom -they all had concerned expressions.
I swallowed hard, forcing air back into my lungs.
“I… I’m sorry,” I stammered, my voice shaky. “Just felt a bit dizzy.”
I grabbed my forehead, trying to steady myself, and my mom immediately held out a glass of water. I took it, my hands trembling slightly, and took a long sip, hoping it would cool the fire burning under my skin.
When I looked up again, Luke was still staring at me, his brows furrowed. His arms were crossed over his chest, his biceps straining against the fabric of his shirt. He was all muscle and arrogance, standing in the corner like he didn’t do anything just
now.
Was that a memory… of us? It felt so real.
Aiden leaned in, his hand resting on the small of my back, his voice soft in my ear. “You okay, babe? Do you want to sit down?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile as I pulled away from Aiden. I
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set the glass down on the counter and smoothed my hands over my jeans, trying to get my breathing under control. “Just… dizzy for a second. I’ll be okay. Skipped breakfast to catch the early flight and had a long run this morning. That’s all.”
Josh raised an eyebrow at me, concern and confusion warring in his expression. I shot him a quick glance that said, Not now. Don’t ask. He gave a slight nod, but I knew he’d corner me later.
Luke, however, didn’t move. Didn’t say a word. He just kept his eyes on me, arms still crossed, his gaze unreadable. And the longer he stood there, the tighter my che
