My heart is wounded.

Everything hurts.

A drove of emotions kicked through me while I sat in the jail cell, waiting to be bailed out.

Sadness. Anger. Abandonment.

Last night was supposed to be a parade of romance while celebrating six months with my boyfriend, Quinton.

Correction: ex-boyfriend after he deserted my ass.

What great taste I have.

Fall for a man who bails when the cuffs come out.

Instead, my night ended with me incarcerated and him walking free.

“What?” Kyle shouts.

I wince.

He raises his voice. “You don’t want me to be loud?”

I roll my eyes, yank the door open, and hop into the passenger seat while Kyle slides into the driver’s side.

“Thanks for bailing me out,” I grumble. Frustrating or not, I have to respect the man who rescued me from jail.

He shakes his head and starts the Jeep. “You’re not goddamn welcome.”

“I should’ve called Rex.” I jerk the seat belt across my body. “He wouldn’t have freaked out like this.” My younger brother would’ve arrived with an iced coffee and offered me a high five.

“Had I not been able to pull strings, I’m sure you would’ve.”

Facts.

Kyle is a cop, and with his help, I hoped for a speedier release.

Which happened.

I chose less jail time over an iced caramel macchiato.

Proof I don’t always make stupid decisions.

Kyle runs a hand through his dark hair. “You ready to face Mom and Dad?”

“Hell to the no.” I pin my gaze on him. “Which is why, dear brother, you’re keeping your mouth shut about this little adventure.”

I’m twenty-one. My parents don’t need to be filled in on every component of my life. There are things a lady should keep private and all.

“Too late. The university called to inform them of your expulsion.” A heavy sigh leaves him. “Hell of a wake-up call for Mom.”

The fuck?

“They can do that?” I shriek. “Don’t they have, like … a HIPAA for criminal records?”

His lips twitch as he fights back a smile. “You lose confidentiality when you break the law.”

“Remind me to write to the attorney general about that bullshit.”

“I have more news.” He offers me a pitying glance.

“This is all a prank, and I’m on some reality show?”

“You wish.” He snorts. “Our next stop is your little sorority house to pick up your shit since they’re evicting you.”

My lips tremble. “How can they do that? What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

When it rains, it apparently pours and kicks you out of college.

I’m throwing out humor. It’s who I am.

On the inside? I’m choking back the urge to vomit.

The urge to break down in tears.

This arrest will ruin every life plan of mine: college, law school, becoming a successful attorney.

One mistake.

All aspirations shattered.