Chapter 13

The realization struck Jace like a thunderclap and burned the desire out of him, leaving nothing but panic and disgust at himself. He shoved Lydia off, grabbed the glass on the nightstand, and threw back a hard swallow. His voice came out rough. "Get out!" Lydia cursed under her breath and slammed the door behind her. Silence filled the room. Jace sank onto the couch and threw an arm over his eyes. His heart pounded, not with desire but with a bleak certainty that scared him. He had actually fallen for Avery. It wasn't just her body anymore. ... Back in the country, Julian and Tessa were the couple everyone on campus admired. Wherever they showed up, all eyes followed. Tessa hung on his arm, soaking in the envy around them. Only Julian knew how the polish had started to crack under the surface. He found it increasingly harder to stay focused with Tessa. Even on dates, he would stare at her flawless profile while his thoughts drifted to Lambain, wondering what was happening the