Shattered Asylum

Chapter 66

GRAYSON'S POV

The door clicks shut behind her, and I just stand there.

My hands still feel the shape of her, the warmth of her skin where I held her. My hoodie still smells like her. My heartbeat still trips over itself, like she's still in my arms.

But she's gone.

And she doesn't want me to follow.

A sharp breath pushes my lips, but it doesn't help. It doesn't stop the ache carving its way through my chest, doesn't stop the way my hands shake with everything I wanted to say but couldn't.

"You have helped enough."

"She wants you more than I do."

Lies. Every word. But she said them anyway. And worse, I let her.

"Grayson, what do you think?"

I blink. Jessica is still here. I barely noticed.

She's looking at me like she's been talking this whole time, like she actually expects me to care about whatever she just said.

I don't.

The only thing my mind can hold onto is Aven. Aven, walking away, Aven, shutting me out. Aven, who I was never supposed to want but now can't live without.

I answer without thinking, my voice hollow. "Okay."

Jessica's face lights up, and before I can process it, she's pressing against me, arms wrapping around my waist like she belongs here. Like she thinks I want this.

I don't move. Don't react. My arms stay limp at my sides. My body is here, but my mind is miles away, locked behind that door with Aven, where she's probably curled up alone, hurting, thinking she has to deal with everything on her own.

Jessica squeezes me tighter, sighing into my chest. "I knew we'd be okay," she murmurs.

We are not okay.

I'm not okay.

How could I be when I just let the only person I want slip through my fingers? The girl I was suppose to protect, not love. The girl who was never meant to be mine, but somehow, irrevocably is.

I was supposed to blend in. Get close enough that she'd trust me, let me watch over her. That was the job. That was the rule.

But how the hell was I supposed to follow the rules when she looked at me like that? When she smirked like she knew exactly what she was doing to me? When she fought me at every turn, challenged me, drove me insane and made me want her even more because of it?

"Let's go, babe. I want to get a comfy spot for the movie." Jessica says, tugging on my hand.

I barely register it.

Fuck, she just doesn't know when to quit.

~

Jessica is draped over me, her head resting against my shoulder, but I don't feel her. I don't feel anything.