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“You should’ve seen Kaden when he was thirteen,” Jace continues, a smile full of mischief on his face. “Such a drama queen.” He tilts his head to the side. “Though to be fair, I did steal his knife collection and hid it for like three days. He almost tore our house apart trying to find it.” Another smug chuckle rolls from his chest. “Good times.”
Pain slices through my heart, and I fiddle with the strap on my watch.
God, I wish I had that. A brother that I could drive absolutely crazy with my stupid pranks but who would still always have my back.
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I glance up at Jace and say softly, “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.” I clear my throat a bit awkwardly and then add, “I just don’t want you in mine.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m aware. But unfortunately for you, I am in your space. And I will continue to be for another few months. So let’s just make this as easy and hassle-free as we can, okay?”
“Fine.”
He dramatically presses a hand to his chest and stares down at me in a show of exaggerated shock. “Did you just agree with me? Oh, what a momentous day.” He starts patting his pants as if looking for his phone. “Hold on, I need to call the scholars so that they can put this in the history books. Kayla Ashford, the most stubborn woman on the planet, finally agrees that Jace Hunter, the hottest, funniest, and all around most exceptional guy to ever walk this earth, is right. This really needs to be written down.”
A laugh escapes my throat before I can stop it. Quickly drawing my eyebrows down, I give him a shove and my best attempt at a glare. “Don’t push it.”
He just grins back at me.
On our left, a small café at last appears. I turn towards it. Sidestepping a guy in a suit, I cut across the sidewalk and head for the door.
“Hold on,” I say to Jace over my shoulder. “I just need to use the restroom.”
Before he can reply, I pull open the door.
Warm air and a faint scent of incense meet me as I step across the threshold. Since I know that Jace will follow, I hold the door up to him before walking inside.
The small café is dimly lit, full of dark wood and green plants in wicker baskets. About half of the tables are occupied, and most people in here are either reading a book or typing on a laptop.
I approach the counter. “Hi.”
“Oh, Ms. Ashford,” the girl behind it says with a smile since I’ve been here several times before.
Smiling back, I motion towards where the restrooms are located. “Sorry, is it okay if I just use the restroom.”
She nods. “Of course. Go right ahead.”
“Thanks.”
I cast a glance over my shoulder to check what Jace is doing. As expected, he has taken up position about halfway across the room. His perceptive eyes scan the entire space for threats.
Amusement ripples through me. This is a café that the quiet and well-behaved university students go to when they don’t want to spend the night at home. The only threats in here are the ones they read about in their books.
Only dark wood panels watch me as I walk down the short hallway towards the restrooms.
But when I reach the door, I walk right past it and open the ‘employees only’ door instead. With three quick strides, I’m across the empty breakroom and to another door.
Fresh air washes over me as I open it and slip out into the alley behind the café.
A victorious grin spreads across my lips.
I’ve done this exact trick with like six other bodyguards, so the cashier already knows that I didn’t go to the bathroom. It will take Jace a few minutes to figure that out, though.
Through the side window, I can just barely see the back of his head where he’s still standing in the middle of the café.
Because of what we just talked about, I almost feel guilty for pulling this disappearing act on him. Almost.
Excitement pulses through me like sparkling waves.
Jenn said that a bunch of people were heading to the meadow tonight, so if I can just get to a taxi before Jace notices that I’m gone, he will never find me. He’ll spend all night searching through the city while I’m finally enjoying a night of freedom with my friends out by the woods.
