He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. The finality of it was sinking in. I wasn't crying. I wasn't yelling. I was just… done.

"So that's it?" he whispered.

"That's it."

He stood there for another long moment, just looking at me. Then his shoulders slumped. He nodded, a slow, defeated movement. He turned and walked to the door. His hand was on the knob when he stopped.

"He's using you, you know," he said without turning around. "Blackwood. You're a weapon for him. To hurt Jovi. To win his fights. When he's done, he'll drop you."

I didn't answer. He opened the door and left....