HtG: Surprise Bonus Chapter Snippet
Bruce’s lips twitched into something that wasn’t quite a smile.
“What kind of psychologist are you?” he asked.
Jazz returned the faintest grin.
“My doctorate is towards Criminal Psychology. I’ve always been fascinated with what makes people become who they are. And I guess at some point, I thought that if I could study the minds of the worst kinds of people, then maybe I could also figure out how to prevent that path—and how to help someone when everyone else has given up. I don’t know Jason, or what happened between you two, but there is one thing I picked up about your relationship with him tonight.”
Bruce’s gaze narrowed slightly, unreadable as ever. “What might that be?”
Jazz tilted her head, smile patient. “The fact that he chose one of your events to meet with Danny means that whatever those two are up to—he trusts you enough to let you in on it.”
Bruce was quiet, his silence heavy but no longer closed-off.
“What advice would you give me?” he asked at last, his voice low, almost reluctant.
“I’d say this—If you believe the damage is irreversible, then every word, every gesture, will reinforce that belief. Jason will feel it, whether you speak it aloud or not, and it’ll only widen the distance between you. But if you still see the same boy you once believed in—the one with potential and spark—then treat him like he’s still there. Not as the broken man you fear you’ve made him into, but as someone who’s still capable of growth, of connection, and choice.”
She let the words linger before finishing softly.
“Because if you treat someone like they’re beyond saving, eventually they’ll believe it too.”
The silence that followed stretched between them—weighty, but not uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that carried meaning, a space carved out for reflection rather than avoidance or accusation.