Page 21 of Growl Me, Maybe

He turned to her, eyes hard. “You should’ve known better than to talk to him.”

Her mouth fell open. “Excuse me?”

“He’s dangerous, Lyra. Manipulative. Every word out of his mouth is calculated.”

“I didn’t ask him toflirt, Jace,” she said, color rising in her cheeks. “He walked in with documents. I was doing my job.”

“He’s got an agenda. He always does.”

“And you think I can’t see through that?” she snapped, stepping in closer. “You think I’m that naïve?”

He stiffened, regret flashing but he didn’t let it show.

“I think you don’t understand who he is.”

“Maybe because no one’s telling me!” Her voice cracked slightly. “You bark orders, scowl every time someone talks to me, but you won’t actually say what’s going on. You get furious when I breathe in the same room as another man, but won’ttalkto me.”

She stared at him, eyes wet and furious. “Do you hate me, Jace? Because that’s what it feels like. Like you hate that I’m here. Hate that I exist.”

“I don’t—” His voice cracked. He looked away.

She shook her head, stepping back now. Guarded. “Then what is this? Why can’t you just say whatever it is you clearlyaren’tsaying?”

Jace clenched his fists. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

He didn’t move. Couldn’t.

So she let out a bitter laugh. “Right. Thought so.”

She turned, shoulders squared, chin high—but her hands trembled.

And it broke something in him.

“Ezra doesn’t want peace,” he said, his voice hoarse. “He’s trying to unravel the Moonlit Pact from the inside. He’s recruiting. Testing wards. And if he’s suddenly interested inyou, it’s not innocent. It’s strategy.”

Lyra flinched, pain flickering in her eyes. “So I’m a pawn. Got it.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, I think you did.”

He exhaled sharply, tension bleeding from his posture, replaced by something quieter. Defeated.

“Go home, Lyra,” he said finally.

She blinked. “What?”

“You don’t need to be here right now. Just… take the day.”

Her voice was barely a whisper. “Are you firing me?”

“No,” he said, already turning away. “I’m protecting both of us right now.”

Then he walked out, leaving her standing there—hurt and confused.

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