Her Heart, Her Undoing novel Chapter 2

Avery hung up and returned to the apartment she shared with Julian, feeling like an empty shell.

She started packing without feeling a thing. She tossed every gift Julian had given her over the past year into the trash—necklaces, bracelets, stuffed animals, and lipstick...

Everything that once felt like proof of love now seemed like a cruel joke.

She was dropping the last necklace into the bin when the lock clicked.

Julian... No, Jace walked in.

He mimicked Julian's cool tone but softened it with a practiced warmth. "Ave, what are you throwing away?"

Avery looked up with red and swollen eyes, glancing at the face which was so much like Julian's, only younger and more arrogant.

It felt like her chest had been ripped open from the inside. She was in so much pain that she could hardly breathe.

"You don't recognize any of it?" she asked, her voice ragged and icy.

Jace's smile faltered for a beat, then he pivoted, sounding smooth as ever. "Your eyes are swollen. Is it because of the photos on the forum? Don't be upset. I've handled it. The posts are gone, and no one's going to talk.

"So what if the direct admission's off the table? You're only a junior. You can try again next year, or just skip grad school. Come work at my company. I'll take care of you."

The words cut straight through her. She dug her fingers into her palms.

Jace and Julian could win an acting award for their show.

Avery opened her mouth, but Jace was already folding her into his arms. He tucked his chin against her hair. "Hey, don't cry. It kills me when you do, okay?"

The scent she knew so well closed in around her. His lips brushed her neck while his hands wandered over her body.

On any other night, she might've blushed and let herself be steered. But tonight, cold rolled through her, and her stomach turned.

She shoved him hard.

He was caught off guard. Surprise flashed in his eyes before he smoothed it away. "What's wrong? Not in the mood?"

"I don't feel well," she said, turning her face aside.

He studied her for a few seconds, then gave a short laugh. "Alright. I'll take a cold shower."

He didn't force her. He turned and walked into the bathroom.

Avery kept packing and erased every trace of them she could find. When she was finished, she lay down on the bed and turned her back to the bathroom door.

A few minutes later, Jace came out damp and slid in beside her. He held still for a while, then he couldn't help himself. He curled in behind her and kissed the soft spot below her ear and the line of her shoulder.

She stiffened and endured it, drifting on the edge of sleep, until she heard him murmur in a low, muffled voice as he moved against her.

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