Page 29 of Isabelle & Jason
Isabelle shut her eyes to avoid it. “Whatever you think you know?—”
“I was there, Isabelle.”
This time when her eyes flew wide, she couldn’t shake the lightheadedness. She swayed on her feet, grateful when he lunged forward and gripped her upper arms. “What?” she rasped.
“I was there,” he said quieter this time. There was no taking back what he’d said, but it sure sounded like he would have liked nothing more. “I was at the bar.” He swallowed audibly, drawing her attention to his throat. “I know you probably don’t remember me, but I really wanted to ask you out… but you were with… him.”
Isabelle attempted to pull away, but Jason’s hold remained gentle and firm.
“I noticed the strange way you were acting later in the night. And when… he…took you toward the back…” His story seemed to pain him, and his focus took on a far-off quality. Jason shook his head, and his eyes hardened when they found hers. “I followed him to the back alley and… stopped him from…”
“Stop,” she rasped, her voice filled with emotion. “Please…” Isabelle pleaded. So this was her savior. The man who had taken her to the hospital. And he’d been right under her nose the whole time.
He’d known.
That first day when they’d met—he’dknown.
With renewed fury, she brought up both hands and pushed him against the chest hard enough that they broke apart. She stumbled more than he did.
“You knew. All this time. You knew and you didn’t tell me!” She could feel the start of another panic attack threatening to rise to the surface, and she willed it to stay away. The last thing she wanted right now was to crumble into his arms for a third time.
“What would you have me say, Bella?—”
“Don’t! Don’t call me that!” Her chest hurt. It felt like her heart had been set on fire and was burning her from the inside out. She clutched at herself, closing her eyes as she focused on slowing her breathing.
“Isabelle—”
She held up a hand, then curled her fingers until one remained. She needed a minute to wrap her head around all of this. This kind of betrayal was a strange one. They barely knew each other, and yet she felt like they’d been in each other’s lives for ages.
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she shook her head when he said her name again.
“I can’t,” she muttered. Turning, she bolted for home. She couldn’t stand there, be here with him. Not when he knew her deepest, darkest secrets. Not when he knew just how broken and unworthy she’d become.
Yes, things could have turned out much worse. But that didn’t change the way she saw herself. There was a hole in her heart, a black smudge on her soul that no amount of scrubbing would wipe clean.
11
Jason
The horse bucked, twisted, and curled to get out from beneath Jason. This wasn’t his usual job, but today, he felt destructive. He needed something physical to keep his mind off the woman who was once again avoiding him like the plague.
In moments, he was flung to the ground and the onlookers seated on the edge of the corral cheered. The wind was knocked from his lungs. His teeth clacked at the impact. Groaning, he stared at the sky and once again went over the events of a week ago.
Isabelle had looked so beaten down by his confession. What he’d hoped would have been reassurances that he could be trusted turned out to sever the thread of whatever they’d managed to develop.
Friendship?
Something on the brink of being more?
A face blocked out the sun and Marcus grinned down at him. Of course, the youngest Palmer would be interested in Mateo’s first attempt at breaking a stubborn horse. Jason had no clue what he was doing, and those who did only offered laughs and encouragement for him to get back in the saddle.
Marcus held out a hand, offering to help him to his feet.
Jason accepted and lunged to his feet. While Marcus patted the dust from his back, Jason dragged the back of his leather-gloved hand along his aching jaw. The physical pain offered only a small reprieve from the inside turmoil he was dealing with.
He shouldn’t have told her; the timing hadn’t been right.
Jason snorted to himself. Was there such a thing as good timing to tell a woman he’d rescued her?
