It didn’t even reach his cheek, but he recoils, eyes blazing.
“You little?—”
In one smooth motion, my shirt is torn open. The friction burns against my skin as my body swings forward. Scar Jaw keeps a hold of my shirt, pressing himself against me.
“Let’s see if you still have this fire after I fuck you.”
The door swings open again.
“Stop,” he barks. It’s familiar.
Chain Guy straightens like a guilty dog. Scar Jaw freezes mid-step.
I hear the steps on the stairs, echoing in the space.
Jace enters the room. His face wears his usual cold mask, arm still in a sling.
“There you are, baby!” Dakota squeals.
Baby? What the fuck?
Dakota shoots out of her seat and skips over, draping her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek. My heart drops as his arm wraps around her waist, her body molding against his.
“Delaine, you have orders.” Chain guy backs away with a frown.
“Butch, keep it in check.” Jace stares at Scar Jaw.
Butch nods. “Sir.”
“Baby, I don’t think it matters if they get to play around with her. As long as she’s still breathing.” Dakota makes a dramatic pout.
What in the actual fuck is happening right now? Am I hallucinating?
I meet Jace’s eyes. He’s just watching me. I don’t recognize him at all.The overhead lighting makes his face look more angular, the shadows darkening his expression.
Here, the knives are hidden behind perfect smiles.
Jace’s words from our first conversation run through my mind over and over. How could I have been so fucking stupid?
“Stay away from Jace Ravencourt.”
“And Jace? Does he believe that too?”
“He was raised to. Trained to. But what he truly believes… only he knows.”
How did I let this happen to me? Again.
Dakota pulls Jace’s face down to her and I want to vomit. Her hands paw all over him.
My heart breaks right there. How could I have been led so astray? Everything felt so…real. I thought he was opening up to me, that I was seeing the vulnerable parts of him.
But he was using it to get to me. He never cared about me. Clearly.
How did I not see him and Dakota?
Was I just that blind? Caught up in everything?
Tex trusted him…didn’t he? Were there things he never told me? Murdered before he ever had the chance? Maybe he hid things from everyone. I thought I could trust his judgement, that I could trust Jace, and look where it’s gotten me.
