Page 7 of Break My Heart

I head for the garage. It’s time to head back to Manhattan. Back to my penthouse. Back to a life I built line by line. I’ll submerge myself in work with code open on one screen, security protocols on another. Either hacking or repairing systems.

Back to being the version of myself that doesn’t break no matter what Leo said about me.

And nothing gets to follow me. Not his voice. Not the way his words shattered my heart.

4

DIRTY AIR: TURBULENT AIR REDUCING DOWNFORCE BEHIND ANOTHER CAR

Dario’s flat in New York City smells like citrus cleaner and expensive whisky.

Unlike Christin’s retreat in Saratoga Springs, it feels too polished, like nothing is allowed to linger. Then again, it holds no evidence of my ruin. I sought out its emptiness, believing it could hold the weight of my emotions.

It wasn’t the first time today I’ve been wrong.

I step forward into the kind of luxury I’ve been surrounded by my whole life, where I find him leaning against his kitchen island, drink in hand. His expression is edged with fury. He’s already verbally chastised me, expressing his disgust over the fact that I was an arse of epic proportions. I mutter, “I haven’t seen you this furious since you lost qualifying at Circuit Paul Ricard in 2018.”

Letting my bag slide off my shoulder, I fold in half, bracing my hands on my thighs. My breath is ragged. Dario offered his place when I said I couldn’t be alone. “We have a flight to Nevada in two days. I want my eyes on you to make certain you board the damn plane.” But I think he’s regretting that decision.

“You look worse than I thought you would,” he remarks.

“I’ll be able to drive the bloody car.” My voice is devoid of emotion.

“That’s not what I meant.”

I toss him a glare that should leave skid marks on his soul. His expression doesn’t even register the slight. I snarl, “I’ll be fine.”

He takes a slow sip of his drink. “You look like your world has ended.”

That’s because it has. The thought whispers through my mind. I rub the heel of my hand against my chest. My body feels…disconnected. Like my heart and brain have taken a hiatus. “I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Dario doesn’t react immediately. Just watches me with a quirked brow. “What did you expect?”

“That I’d have a chance to explain?”

“Explain what? Your girlfriend overheard you saying you thought she couldn’t handle being in your life. You created your entire fucked up situation.”

I stare out at the city, jaw clenched so tight it aches. “She asked me if I meant it.”

“And?”

“I didn’t answer.” Couldn’t. I physically couldn’t speak.

Dario exhales slowly. “Anything else?”

“I followed her orders and left.”

“So, you didn’t try to explain anything?”

I shake my head no.

Dario succinctly tells me how he feels about my actions. “You absolute idiot.”

It’s not shouted. I think I could handle it better if it was. “I know.”

“Do you?” He sets his glass down with a sharp clink before pushing away from the island. “Because from where I’m standing, you’ve just blown up the best thing in your life for no visible reason.”

“There was a reason.”