Chapter 26
JACE MARINO
I don't remember walking out of that hallway.
One second I was standing in front of Julian's door, and the next I was halfway down the corridor, my hands shaking like I'd been punched.
I didn't even look back. I couldn't.
Because if I did, I might've begged him not to say what he said.
He told me to let Enzo in.
He chose him.
The word keeps replaying in my head. Friend.
"He's my friend."
I know he didn't mean it the way it sounded, but damn, it hurt. Like every word I didn't want to hear rolled into one sentence.
I find a chair in the waiting area and just sit there, staring at the floor. The tiles blur after a while. My body feels heavy, but my chest won't stop tightening. It's a weird kind of pain. Quite, steady, the kind that doesn't go away when you breathe.
My phone's been buzzing for hours. Aiko. Matteo. Marco. Even my father's assistant. I haven't looked at a single message. I already know what they'll say.
Where are you?
