The problem? I'd never felt so alone or disappointed in myself in my entire life, and I still had to go tell both my parents that not only had they been duped, but that I'd failed them.

"Disappointing, that the senator shows such little character."

"He's just a boy." Grandma held a tissue up to her eye and dabbed. "He wants to piss on the world and claim it as his, all the while forgetting that at the end of the day, when your home is empty, what do you really have to show for the success you've had? The life you've lived? Success fades. Family? It's forever."

Beth

I always pitied those girls you saw at the airports. The ones that had tear-stained cheeks, were saying goodbye to friends or family or even significant others as they put on the old red white and blue and flew overseas.

My eyes were swollen, my bags packed like I was fleeing the country, and, of course, in my current state of distress I hadn't even realized that I had sweats on and no makeup.

The conversation I'd overheard? Not my favorite. In all my rashness I'd decided to talk to Grandma. I know, I know. She didn't sound like the voice of reason, but I wanted to thank her for the trip. She'd easily got it out of me, why I was upset, and said she'd fix it. She'd grabbed my hand and led me to the hut. It hadn't been hard to find Jace; the yelling had helped. She'd told me to wait outside.

I wish I would have gotten in the damn taxi. Because after hearing Jace's voice, the words from his mouth? I knew the truth. In the end, he would always choose himself; he'd let me walk away, and although he'd be sad about letting me go… To him? His job was his mistress, his wife, his everything. Even if he was guilt-free in the entire scenario, he still couldn't admit how he felt.

To me, that was weakness. Not being able to share your innermost feelings with someone? It's inexcusable, especially when that person does you the great honor of doing the exact same thing in hopes you'll return it.

I wiped away another tear and walked toward security.

"Beth?"

Kill me now.

"Beth?"

Seriously, God, send the lightning, I wanna go down in flames.

"Where's Jace?" A hand gripped my arm. I had a momentary vision of me turning around, grabbing Brett by the balls, and twisting until I heard either a pop or a tear.

"Not here," I said dryly.

Brett grinned seductively. "Paris is sleeping."

"Your point?" What? Did he want a cookie for getting his wife to go to bed on time? Fresh out, buddy., Sorry. And let's be honest, even if I had a cookie, I wouldn't share. I was so not in the sharing mood. Unless the cookie had arsenic; I'd stuff it in his throat and smile the whole damn time.

"Well…" Brett reached up to cup my face.

I tried to jerk back, but he held my chin firm within his fingers.

"You're here. I'm here. Your little senator is missing, and it seems I have some free time. You wanted me all those years ago in high school, and I'm like a fine wine. I taste better with time… We could go kill a few hours. What do you say?"

"You can't afford me." I glared.

"Try me."

"It was a joke." I finally jerked free. "I'm not a prostitute, you bastard! And I'm sorry, but cheating husbands don't really appeal to me."

"And cheating senators do?"

"Pardon?"

"Please." He laughed. "You really think you're enough to keep a man like Jace Brevik occupied? He'd cheat on you within the first year of marriage."

Grandma was going to have to bail me out of prison.

I reared back to slap him, when someone grabbed my hand and jerked me against his chest then twisted me around. A hot mouth met mine with force and urgency; he tasted like rum. Jace.

What? Here?

Jace released me and turned. "You rotting bastard. I should kill you."

And then I heard a yelp.

Jace released me just as Jake landed a blow to Brett's face, sending him sailing to the floor.

"Thanks." Jace held out his hand to Jake. "Nice hit."

"Yeah, well," Jake shrugged, "not the first airport fight I've gotten into."

"Titus men." Another voice chimed in.

"Char?"

My sister waved and gave me a sad smile that just screamed guilt.

"Where are you going?" Jace asked calmly. "I want to give you a reason to stay. I need you to stay." He cupped my face in his hands. "Stay for me."

"That's a good reason." I nodded, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Listen," he licked his lips, "I have something to tell you, something to explain. I'm not really sure I understand it myself, but I think it will help. Full honesty, full disclosure on my part. Don't leave."

"Jace, I can't—"

"Who's not worth the risk now?"

Maybe he was right. Maybe in the end I was running because I was scared.

It happened too fast. The photographers, the lights, the cameras going off. I blinked, and then we were surrounded. I looked like hell, and Jace looked so stunned his mouth opened and closed three times before he could form words.

"Mr. Senator? Is this the woman you've been hiding from us?"

"Mr. Senator, is she a prostitute? Or truly a family friend?

"Mr. Senator, was this a planned destination wedding, or are you just joining in a publicity stunt to help with your approval ratings?"

Question after question was fired at him.

I waited for him to defend me, for him to explain to them exactly what had happened with Grandma, not that they'd believe it.

Instead he looked directly at me and said in a sad voice, "She's an old family friend. No wedding, no prostitutes, just the happy coincidence of being on the same vacation. Isn't that right, Beth?"

His eyes pleaded with mine, while tears clouded my vision so much that I couldn't see straight. I gave a pathetic nod and turned away, knowing this time he wouldn't come after me, and I wouldn't turn back.

He'd been given a third opportunity in a day to make his choice.

And for the third time, he'd failed to choose me.

"Did you send the reporters?" The agent rubbed his face and sighed.

"It's possible."

"So that's a yes."

Grandma picked at her sweater. "I'm elderly, memory's not what it used to be."

"And just how was ratting out the senator supposed to help the relationship? If anything, it made it worse."

"It didn't." Grandma smirked. "Because clearly the senator is still missing, and so is she."

Jace

The look on Beth's face devastated me, like a punch to the gut. I tried to catch my breath, but every inhale was filled with utter disgust and panic. I'd just told her to her face, for the third time that day, that she wasn't enough. But I'd done it to protect her — to give her time to decide what she felt about me. Instead, she'd walked away. Not me. Her.

Every insecurity she must have felt about herself was probably scratching to the surface, and it was all my fault. All because I was selfish careless bastard. Every instinct told me to run after her, but what would that do? She'd probably slap me and end up on the six o'clock news. So I stayed rooted to the ground and did my damn job — I smiled pretty for the cameras, and I smoothed things over. Never in my life had I had to work so hard to pretend like my world wasn't crashing down around me.