The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 491

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Jamie Baylor's voice was gentle as he explained, "I'm not trying to interfere. I'm just looking after you. You're still hooked up to the IV—don't get so worked up."

Suzie Sterling ignored him. Her hand throbbed from where she had moved too suddenly earlier, and she definitely didn't want the needle to slip and have to get restuck. She hated needles. Deciding to treat him like he was invisible, she resolved to leave the moment the drip finished.

Leaning back against the pillows, she closed her eyes to rest.

A long silence stretched between them before Jamie spoke again, his tone measured. "The conversation we started yesterday... let me finish it. Hear me out, okay?"

Suzie's brow twitched, but she kept her eyes firmly shut. "Jamie," she said flatly, "maybe I wasn't clear enough before. Let me clarify so there's no room for misunderstanding. The past is the past. Whatever misunderstandings or regrets there were, they don't matter anymore. What matters is that for the rest of my life, I want absolutely nothing to do with you. Do you understand?"

She waited, but there was no response.

Unease prickled in her chest. She knew his personality too well. Jamie was the type of man who, if he wanted something he couldn't have, would exhaust every possible avenue to get it. If he refused to walk away, her words might just bounce right off him. She needed a different strategy, something to truly shut this down.

As her mind raced for a solution, Jamie's voice broke the silence. It was low and raspy. "No matter what I do? No matter how hard I try... you really won't ever come back to me?"

Suzie pressed her lips into a thin line, opened her eyes, and met his gaze with cool indifference. "Yes."

His dark eyes clouded over. "Then tell me. What exactly do you hate so much about me?"

"Are you trying to bait me?" she retorted, her voice icy. "Hate? You're giving yourself far too much credit. You know the saying—there's no love without reason, and no hate without reason either. To me, you're just a stranger passing by. Someone I have zero connection with."