Bound to You

Chapter 66: It's Over.

It took her a lot of pleading for the equestrian to finally give her full control of the reins, along with a few warnings of course. The woman seemed to have gone through the same thing with Jace. 

She smiled to herself. God, if only she had her phone. She'd have taken one of the best pictures ever with this majestic white horse. Ileana stroked its neck, "Come on, Oreo. Let's go meet Jace!"

She carefully directed it towards where Jace was, a good distance away. She hadn't fail to notice that he'd not even looked at her once after she waved at him and...he kept putting a distance between them. He looked so lost in his thoughts. She felt heavy. 

His black horse has stopped to graze the grassland and he was stroking its mane.

When he heard the casual trots of another horse, Jace raised his head to see Ileana, coming to him. He groaned, "What do you want? The plain is vast. Go elsewhere." Oreo nudged its head against Licorice's neck and his horse neighed happily as it suddenly approached Oreo, returning the gesture. 

Ileana and Jace held the reins firmly, watching in puzzlement as the horses smooched their head together. She reddened in excitement, "Ooh, they like each other!" 

Jace grimaced, looking away, "Yeah..." 

Ileana mustered her courage and swiftly said, holding her breath, "Jace, I'm sorry for what I said last night! I didn't mean any of it." 

He said nothing for a moment and then snapped, "Why are you saying sorry, huh!? You couldn't be more right and I'll do what you want. I'll stay the hell away from you." 

She blurted, "I wasn't in my senses! You came to...to comfort me and I just...yelled at you!" 

He didn't want to hear any of it, "But I deserved it, right?" He intensely looked at her and she sighed, reaching for him with her hand, "I'm so sorry! Please forget all I said last night. Nothing of it was true. I'm lucky you were with me. I feel so safe with you. You've always been there for me." 

She retrieved her hand rapidly, thinking she was about to fall when Oreo moved side to side with Licorice and they started feeding on the grass. He shook his head, firmly saying, "And now, I'll never look out for you, Ileana. Hell, what did you say already? That I couldn't even handle myself?" 

"No—I...I never sa—" She herself couldn't remember her exact words. She'd never thought she told him something like that. She hasn't been herself. Why was he not understanding? 

He snarled, interrupting her, "Dammit, out there, I was trying to keep you safe. I didn't give a damn if those things would reach me first. I was fighting for you because I wanted you to make it out. Still, it wasn't enough and you're damn right. You made your effing standards clear last night. I'll stay the hell away from you. Last time I'm saying it." 

Her tears rolled down her cheeks and he averted his eyes, wondering why the heck it even bothered him, "Just go away, Ileana." 

He gave a gentle tug to the rein to get Licorice moving and Ileana dangerously inclined towards him, flinging her arms around him. He instantly held her, his heart skipping a few beats, afraid that she might fall off her horse. She said, her voice broken, "You once asked me never to avoid you. So why are you avoiding me? I know I made mistakes but I love you so much, Jace!"

He sighed heavily, "Let go of me, Ileana. You'll fall." 

She only tightened her grip, exclaiming as she buried her head against his shoulder, "You'll catch me!" 

"Not this time. The challenge is over. We're done." 

It took her a few seconds to understand what he meant. She sniffed, cautiously pulling away, unable to look at him as she coldly said, "Fine by me then."