Page 45 of Ranger's Wildflower

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Fear hit instantly.

Sharp.

Immediate.

No.

Not hope.

Anything but that.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I said quickly.

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

Another silence.

Then—

“It’s not too late, Tessa.”

My throat tightened painfully.

Because he sounded so certain.

Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet.

My legs felt weak from sitting there half the night.

Every step toward the door felt heavier than the last.

My hand hovered over the lock.

“Tessa,” Ace said softly through the wood. “Trust me.”

A broken laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“That’s the problem.”

Still—

I opened the door.

Ace stood there looking exhausted, jaw shadowed with stubble, eyes locked hard on mine.

And in his hand—

his phone.

I backed up immediately.

“No.”

“You haven’t even seen it yet.”

“I can’t do this again.” My voice cracked. “I can’t believe something just to have it ripped away afterward.”

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