With shaky hands, I fumbled in my pocket for my phone and checked the time. It was 9:09. Chase was probably still on the ice. Maybe hitting the shower. Either way, not reachable. He said to call, but if I did and I couldn’t reach him, he’d be even more upset.

“Bailey. Talk to me for a second.”

Why? So we could fight? There was nothing to talk about. He loved nothing more than trying to suck me back into his cycle of drama.

I shook my head. “No.”

Coming to a stop at the corner, I looked both ways before darting across. He rolled through the red light, keeping pace with me.

“After a year and a half, this is how you’re going to leave things?”

“Yep. And Chase is about one minute away,” I lied, “so leaving things would be in your best interest too.” I shivered as the chill sank deeper into my bones, unsure of whether it was the cold or my flight-or-fight response kicking in.

“Why are you being such a bitch?”

And that was it. I finally snapped. If I’d been holding a rock, I think I would have thrown it through his windshield.

I stepped up onto the curb and came to a screeching halt. “I’m not a bitch. You’re an asshole!” My voice climbed. “Leave me alone. Can’t you take a hint?”

Unfortunately for me, engaging with him seemed to be what he wanted, because he stopped the car on the deserted street.

I should have known better.

Luke sneered, resting his forearm along the open window of the car. His silver Rolex glinted in the streetlight. “I was trying to make things right with you. But I don’t know why I would even bother when you ended up in Carter’s bed the moment after we ended things.”

He didn’t know how right he was. But it wasn’t his business. Never mind the whole Sophie thing on his end, but at this point, I didn’t care enough to volley back verbally.

“You’re a slut,” Luke added.

I shrugged, resuming walking. “Sure. Whatever.”

“So you admit it?”

“I don’t care what you think.” I pretended to check my phone. “You should go. Chase will be here any minute. Don’t think it’ll end well for you.”

“That guy isn’t who you think he is,” he said. “I’ll prove it.”

His tires squealed as he peeled away.

I had a good idea of who Chase was, for better or worse. The good, the bad, the stubborn. Luke’s energy would have been better spent investing in some hardcore therapy of his own.