Chapter 4

Violet

Kissing Jace is a little bit awkward. I’m not going to lie. He is extremely tall, demon tall, even though he is a werewolf. The poor guy has to bend down at an awkward angle to meet my lips. But despite that, every part of me is tingling. 

Jace’s lips are magical, and my heart skips a beat as I press my hands to the fabric of his leather jacket. The guy is covered from head to toe, but right now, my mind is imagining him without the clothes on. Is he muscular? Probably. The question is: cut or swole? I haven’t seen him without all of his leather clothes since we were kids!

My mind is spinning with questions when Jace breaks the kiss. I stare up at his face, at the scar covering the right side of his face. It doesn’t take away from his beauty, though. He is gorgeous but could use a shave. It felt a little raspy to kiss him, and I blush when he smirks at me. 

“What?” I ask, knowing my mute bodyguard can’t answer me, but perhaps his eyes will give him away. And they do. Jace glances at the girls who were gossiping a second ago, and I stifle a laugh when I see them staring at us. Damn. Did Jace kiss me to shut them up?

I ponder on that on our way home. Jace is wearing his mask again, and as soon as I’m home, I’m attacked by the twins: Hani and Margaret, my two younger sisters. 

“So you’re going to date a reptile man?” Hani asks while leaning against the kitchen counter. 

“Crocodile man,” I correct. 

Margaret bites into her apple, eyeing me. “What is the difference?”

“I have no idea,” I laugh because I really don’t. “I assume both of those types of men look like dinosaurs.”

Hani wrinkles her nose. “Are you even attracted to that?”

I snort. “Hani! They look like humans...most of the time. They have like another more umm...ugly form.”

“Which is why you should see a werewolf instead,” Margaret interjects and shakes her head. “What is the mating bureau thinking making you date a dinosaur?”

I giggle. “Crocodile man.”

Margaret rolls her eyes. “Whatever.” 

I pick up a cookie from the plate on the counter and take a bite while Margaret looks up at Jace with wide eyes. “Were you always this big? Not only do you have a handsome face, but gosh, you’re ripped!” Her hands reach up to playfully grab his bicep, and Jace gives me an uncomfortable look. 

My eyes narrow. “Margaret, stop sexually harassing my bodyguard, please. Jace doesn’t like it.”

She shoots me a grin. “He isn’t telling me to stop.”

“Because he can’t, but believe me, he could easily beat your ass if he wanted to. It wouldn’t be exactly hard to overpower you and teach you a lesson.”

Margaret gasps, insulted. “But Jace wouldn’t do that! I’m part of the Alpha King family; guys would offer an arm to have me touch them!”

Jace rolls his eyes, and I stifle a laugh by biting my bottom lip. It seems he doesn’t want just anyone to touch him. I like that. Margaret is known for being a flirt—the fact that Jace doesn’t give her the time of his day is admirable. Most men would kill to be with one of us.

But Jace is different. He’s not like most men I’ve met before, and I can’t help but feel drawn to him. As we make our way to my room, I turn to him and ask, “Hey, Jace, can I ask you something?”

He nods, and I take a deep breath before continuing. “When we were in town... Did you kiss me earlier to shut up those girls that were gossiping about me?”

His eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, he looks almost offended. Those lips of his move, but not a sound comes out, and he is left looking frustrated. It baffles me. Hasn’t he always been mute? It really looked like he was trying to tell me something there for a second.

Though, maybe I’m just paranoid since our kiss? I’m paying a lot more attention suddenly, which isn’t good. I should be focusing on my crocodile date.

“Well, I’m going to head to my room,” I tell Jace, smiling up at him. “Goodnight.” 

He smiles back but doesn’t leave my side. It makes me lightly hit my temple. “Right... you’re going to be guarding my door, aren’t you?”

Amusement glitters in his eyes, and I swear that mask of his twitches again as if he is laughing at me. 

My face burns brighter. “Alright, alright...how stupid of me to assume you were heading to bed as well.”

As we reach my door, Jace opens it and scans the room before allowing me to step inside. I meet his red eyes, feeling nervous for reasons I can’t explain. Maybe it’s the way his gaze lingers on me for a moment too long before he turns to leave, or maybe it’s the way his broad shoulders fill the doorway as he stands there, watching me.

“I think my room is secure,” I tell him. “I should be fine on my own.” Jace points at the bathroom, and I laugh, but it comes out breathy and nervous. “Right...you can guard my door while I’m showering. Good idea.”

I start taking off my clothes, pausing when I realize Jace is still watching me. He quickly turns around when he realizes he is staring, his face reddening slightly above his black mask from embarrassment or guilt—or both? Regardless, I decide not to ask him about it because I sort of like having his attention.

“I think I’m going to ask for a haircut tomorrow,” I talk while reaching for my towel, wrapping it around me. “A page haircut would suit me with my blonde hair, don’t you think?”

Jace twitches, and I find it adorable. I think my new hobby is making him flustered. I’m feeling mischievous tonight. Maybe I should take the teasing a step further?

“You know, Jace,” I say. “If you want to, you could join me inside the bathroom. Wash my hair for me and make the cut. Would you like that?”

Jace freezes, his eyes widening in surprise. I can tell he’s uncomfortable with the suggestion, but part of me wants to see how far I can push him. He has been so guarded around me lately. It frustrates me. We used to be such good friends before I got together with Blake. 

Ugh, my ex-boyfriend’s name tastes like bile in my mouth. Jace is way more handsome. I can see his muscles tense beneath his shirt as he watches me, and a thrill runs through me at the thought of touching them. Would he let me?

Probably not. What am I even doing trying to seduce my own bodyguard? Jace must be so weirded out. 

“Hey, look, you don’t have to—” I widen my eyes at him, taking off his clothes. He places his sword against the wall, and I take a step back, entirely red in the face from having him undress. “Woah, okay. I was just...” I stop talking once my eyes land on his broad shoulders and pectoral muscles. 

Holy shit, dude. He is so...hot. I can’t ruin this by speaking! I have to stay cool and— 

“Oh my god, Jace! Stop!” I shout once his hands are on the hem of his pants. Jace gives me a confused look, and to be honest, I’m perplexed as well. He is gorgeous, but he is my bodyguard! I was just teasing him earlier—I didn’t mean for him to start undressing! I didn’t think he would do it!

With my face entirely red, I cover my eyes. “Okay, handsome, w-would you mind putting your clothes back on?” 

I peek through my fingers, almost choking when I see that the guy doesn’t have a six-pack—that’s a freaking eight-pack! How didn’t I know he was equipped with that? Gah, I thought I knew everything about Jace, but apparently not! The man is walking sex-on-a-stick!

“Anyway,” I pick up his shirt from the puddle on the floor, handing it to him with a shaking hand. He does this adorable head tilt, but it’s a little less adorable when I think about the size of him—freaking giant. I wonder what else is big—no! I need to focus. “Here, put this back on.” 

A ghost of a smile fleets over Jace’s face. He looks massively amused, as if he can tell I’m both aroused and impressed by his physique. He gives me a cheeky little grin when I don’t look away, and I roll my eyes. 

“Okay, okay, you’re hot—what’s the big deal?” I wave my hand dismissively, pretending I’m not as affected by him as I actually am. “And no, I don’t mind the scars on your body. They add to your deliciousness, whatever... But my father would throw a fit if he knew my bodyguard was washing my hair in the shower while we are both naked.”

Jace’s lips twitch, and he starts getting dressed. Part of me regrets telling him we can’t shower together, but I didn’t lie about my father. He wants me to marry some man he deems worthy, and I’m sure he has told the matching bureau to only match me with wealthy men. It’s a shame because Jace is really, and I mean really, pretty.