Page 32 of Her Soul to Own

“Oh, fuck. What happened?”

I sit on the edge of my bed and try to find the words. “We went to the diner. Jake and I. He was being… normal. Flirty. I was drinking. I was pissed off, and I just wanted to feel… something. I let him kiss me.”

“Okay…?” Zara’s voice is slower now, heavier. She’s catching up.

“We went to his car, and things got more heated. Nothing wild, just… making out. Then that stupid Creed showed up out of nowhere and pulled me out of the car.”

“Jesus Christ. What the fuck? Can he do that?”

I ignore her questions.What can’t he do?“Well, I screamed at him. We fought, and I told him off. But he threw me over his shoulder like I was nothing and dumped me in the car. Told the driver to take me home.”

Zara is dead silent.

“And now Jake’s not answering his phone.”

“Lyra…” she finally whispers. “That’s fucked.”

“I know.” My throat is tight. My hands are numb.

“Did he hurt Jake?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see him after.”

“Lyra.” Her voice is steel now, the kind she reserves for threats and court depositions. “You really think your bodyguard would’ve done something to him?”

“He’s intense and possessive. He looks at me like I’m… prey.” I pause. “But he’s never actually hurt me.”

Zara exhales, long and slow. “But you don’t know what he’d do to someone else.”

I press my fingers to my temples. “I didn’t think he was that far gone. But now… I don’t know.”

“Did you ever look him up? You told me he has a military background, right?”

“Yeah. Black ops. Secret shit. He’s quiet but… terrifying.”

“Lyra, I’m serious. If something happened to Jake, and it’s because of him…”

“I know.”

“I’m coming down. Now. I’ll be there in two hours. Do not do anything until I get there.”

I nod with relief, even though she can’t see me. “Okay.”

“And Lyra?”

“Yeah?”

“This isn’t your fault.”

The words hit harder than they should. Probably because they’re exactly what I’ve been thinking this whole time, and Zara, of course, read my mind like it was printed in bold. But I can’t agree. Not out loud. Because if somethingdoeshappen to Jake—if somethingdidhappen—it’ll be on me.

All on me.

I justhadto go and poke the bear. I justhadto make my brooding, territorial bodyguard jealous like it was some kind of game. Really, I couldn’t have just let him rail me in the backseat like a normal,well-adjustedperson?

Apparently not.

“I don’t know about that,” I whisper, ending the call.

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