Best Kept Lies (Best Kept #3)

Chapter 48: Bitter Words

Song: The Only Reason by 5 Seconds of Summer
"Bitter words spoken,
Everything broken
It's never too late to bring us back to life."

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★Jasper★

"You're a damn idiot!"

"Stop."

"I can't believe you right now."

"Jaylen..."

"Do you even realize what you've done? Who you just hurt? You let her walk out that door!"

I'm on my feet again and I whirl on Jaylen. "I told you to fucking stop!"

Jaylen doesn't even flinch. "You're my brother and I love you, but I want to kick your ass. Money? Seriously? Who knew you could stoop so low." He jabs my chest with his pointer finger. "You know what? You deserved everything you just got."

My eyes burn. "I realize that."

Jaylen's laugh is humorless. "Gosh, I wish I would've known what your dumbass was up to. Did you need the money that bad?"

"I wasn't thinking," I admit. "And by the time everything happened, it was too late."

"So what? You weren't really into Ella at all? You just used her to get money from her sister? Do you realize how fucked up that sounds?"

I press the heels of my palms to my temples. "I got the money before...before I even met her. Her sister made Ella sound like a spoiled brat, so I agreed to do it. But when I saw her...when she smiled at me, Jaylen..." I pause. "I was done."

"There's no excuse for the shit you just pulled. Awkward little Jasper turns out to be the biggest asshole in the family."

A sharp pain strikes my chest and I fall back in my desk chair. "It hurts so much," I say quietly. "I swear there was never I moment I didn't like her." Then I shake my head. "I never got the chance to tell her that I love her."

Jaylen's icy expression melts a little. "You hurt her. Why didn't you just tell her the truth when you met?"

I rub at my chest, hoping to ease the ache. "I didn't think it would actually go anywhere. Have you met me? No girl sticks around longer than five minutes. I'm like the plague to females. But Ella was different. She found some things adorable that others would've cringed at. She ate fries and a milkshake three times a week and was always reading a new book when I saw her." I shake my head again as my stare turns distant. "She wasn't the girl Victoria told me about."

Jaylen walks over to my bed and sits on the edge. "I could tell she loves you. Maybe still does even after what you did."

"Don't tell me that."

"Why? Because it makes you feel worse that the girl you dated for money actually loves you? Was it not obvious?"

I bury my face in my hands. "I don't know what to do," I admit. "I never dated Ella for money. Victoria only paid me to talk to her." A groan falls from my lips. "I feel sick to my stomach right now."

"And how do you think she feels?"

Just the thought causes my breathing to turn ragged. "I'm supposed to be there for her," I say between choked out breaths. "I can't stand the thought of her hurting right now. Especially since I caused it and I can't do anything about it."