VERA'S POV

No, he wasn’t wrong. He was right and I hated him for it. I hated him for always being the one to dictate the terms of my life. Damn you, Jackson. Fuck you. That was what I wanted to scream.

Instead, I asked, through a sniffle, "Why are you suddenly… mean?"

Tears that had been fighting to stay in finally streamed down my cheeks. I caught a flicker of worry flash across his face, but just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, like it had never been there at all.

"Because I am Jackson Taylor," he said coldly, his voice razor-sharp. "I get what I want at...