Nicolette made her choice.
Alaric knew the moment he saw her face, the resolve in her eyes made it clear. She had chosen to speak to Jake. Of all the people in the room, it was Jake she had approached.
He clenched his fists as he paced around the room.
He was back in the same suite Nicolette didn't want him to stay in.
The same suite where she had found out about him and Alexa.
The room was a disaster. Food was scattered everywhere. Liquids spilled, flower petals strewn across the floor. The gifts he had gotten her were shattered, torn from their boxes.
Still, he couldn't even be angry about it. He was partly to blame.
His anger faded, leaving only guilt behind.
Nicolette had every right to be upset.
It wasn't his fault things had escalated. Neither was it his fault she hadn't given him a chance to explain.
He shook the thought away, stripped his wet clothes and stepped into the shower. When he got out, some of the emotion had slipped away, and his thoughts became clearer.
