Chapter 1

That was when it hit me.

My feelings had always been their private joke.

Damien saw me go quiet and came over.

"Mia, don't make a scene. If I didn't like you, would I have kept those letters all these years?"

He sounded so smug.

Like humiliating me was some kind of favor.

I pulled the hundredth letter from my bag.

The second Damien saw the envelope, he reached for it like it already belonged to him.

"Finally gonna give it to me?"

I looked at him and smiled.

Then I ripped the letter in half.

"You don't need to read it. There won't be another one."

The scraps fluttered onto Damien's black slacks.

He stared down at them for a beat, then lifted a brow.

"Mia, what are you doing?"

The private room went dead quiet.

Then someone snorted.

"Wait, is she actually pissed?"

"Damien, better calm her down. Your little fangirl's losing it."

Damien didn't laugh.

He bent down, picked up half the letter, and narrowed his eyes.

"I asked you a question."

That edge in his voice used to make me panic.

I'd explain. Apologize. Cave.

I'd become whatever he wanted.

Not this time.

I grabbed my coat off the chair and headed for the door.

Damien caught my wrist.

His grip wasn't tight, but I couldn't pull free.

He looked down at me, voice low. "Everyone's watching. You really gonna make a scene?"

I didn't answer.

Suddenly, it all felt pointless.

For ten years, I'd had a million things I wanted to say to Damien.

Now, I had nothing.

Shannon stood, putting on that sweet voice. "Mia, don't be mad. We haven't all been together in forever. Everyone was just messing around."

She reached for my sleeve. "Besides, weren't you always saying Damien was the one? We're just reliving the old days. Why are you so mad now?"

A few guys jumped in.

"Yeah, Mia. Learn to take a joke."

"Everyone at school knew you were obsessed with Damien. Why act like you're above it now?"

"You already wrote letter number one hundred. What, is this some new move to finally get Damien to commit?"

At that, Damien raised a brow, like he'd finally figured me out.

His grip loosened, but his voice turned impatient.

"Mia, don't pull this crap.

"If you want me to drive you home, just say it."

I looked up at him.

I'd loved that face for ten years.

Loved him enough that a random bottle of water from him could make my whole week.

Enough to cross half the city at three a.m. to buy him medicine after he posted that his stomach hurt.

Enough that everyone knew Mia Martinez couldn't live without Damien Byford.

But right then, I looked at him and saw a stranger.

When someone didn't love you, even the smallest scraps of attention could hurt like hell.

I slowly pulled my hand free.

A red ring circled my wrist.

Damien noticed, concern flashing across his face. "Does it hurt?"

He reached for me.

Then Shannon pressed a hand to her stomach and sucked in a breath.

"Damien, my stomach hurts. I think I drank too fast."

His hand stopped midair.

She ducked her head with a small smile. "It's fine. Take care of Mia first. I can handle it."

A second later, he turned and caught her arm.

"Didn't I tell you not to drink?"

The worry in his voice hit me hard.

Shannon didn't say anything else.

She just grabbed Damien's sleeve and leaned into him.

I watched him drape his jacket over her shoulders.

The same jacket I'd given him for his birthday last year.

I'd ordered it a month early and had his initials stitched inside the cuff—D.B.

He'd taken one look and said the color was boring.

That night, I sat with the gift box until midnight, telling myself he just sucked at showing how he felt.

Now his fingers rested right over those initials.

Like he was pressing the last bit of humiliation straight onto her.

A server by the door opened it for me.

Shannon let go of Damien. "Come on. She's always like this. Just sweet-talk her a little and she'll be fine."

Damien didn't move away.

He looked at me like he was giving me one last chance to cave. "Sit down. Finish your drink. Then we'll forget this happened."

I didn't touch the glass.

I turned and walked out.

Behind me, Damien's voice went cold. "Mia Martinez, if you walk out that door, don't regret it."

I kept going.

Right before the door shut, Shannon laughed softly.

"Relax. She won't even make it downstairs. When has she ever been able to stay away from you?"