I walk around Jace and notice him tense up. But I walk straight to Richard. Reaching out, I grasp the lapel of his jacket, straightening it as I look up into his eyes. He watches me, waiting for whatever I’m about to say. “How’s your wife, Richard?” I ask in an innocent tone. His wife. His wife who’s very sick and being cheated on. She's probably waiting for him to come home right now. Richard’s sneer deepens as he throws a thunderous glance at Jace before briskly storming out. The door slams so hard the plant next to it shudders. I turn back to Jace, who’s now grinning with pride and amusement. “What? Did I not ask nicely enough?” I ask with mock confusion. Jace grins wide, walking toward me. “I thought you were very nice. I’m not sure what his problem is,” he replies, finishing his whiskey. "You fucked his sister?" I just ask in return with raised eyebrows. My eyes go to the black leather couches again. How many women have been on those couches? Richard did say they could hear
When the doors finally open, I practically run out whilst I hear a grin from Jace. The men outside are still smoking, and I can’t help but sigh in annoyance. Jace’s car, parked at the far end of the lot, feels like a beacon of escape. This would be a perfect time to invent teleportation. “Hey,” Jace calls from behind. I slow down but keep my eyes fixed on the group of men. He grabs my arm, gently turning me to face him. “I’ve got you, bean,” he promises softly. “They’re staring because they want you, and they can’t have you. I’m here. You’re safe.” His hand lands on my cheek, and I can feel the weight of all those watchful eyes outside. Jace chuckles, his tone lighter, “They’ll probably fantasize about you later, but that’s fine. Let them. It’s all they’ll ever have.” That is the last thing I want to hear, and I shoot him a look like he’s lost his mind. But then something happens I had never, ever expected. My entire world seems to close down on me when I see Jace lean down to me,
"Protective? My father? Why do you ask?" I ask, my eyes still tracing over Jace’s body. He releases one hand from the steering wheel, resting his elbow between our seats on the armrest. Snow by the Red Hot Chili Peppers starts playing and I look at the blazing sun instead. It's just setting, and a soft pink decorates the sky. "Yeah... Like, do I need to bring a gun or something?" Jace asks out of nowhere. I whip my head toward him, staring incredulously. "What?! No! You're not seriously thinking of bringing a gun, are you mad?" I exclaim. Jace just shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. "I am kind of protective, you know." Protective, possessive, argumentative, bossy... "It's my dad. We're meeting in a public place. He's not going to do anything," I reply firmly. "So he's never hurt you?" Jace suddenly asks. I freeze for a moment, unsure how to answer. "Not.. Not on purpose." I lie, my voice small. Jace studies me for a long second before turning his attention back to the road. "He has
“Yeah, it’s great. Really excited,” Dad says, finally meeting my eyes. “But I just lost my job. That was a bummer,” he adds, his gaze fixed on me. “Oh no... What happened?” I ask, trying to keep my tone neutral. “Reorganization. Not my fault in any way,” he replies quickly, taking another bite of his steak. I barely touch my food. “It’s been tight, money-wise, to be honest,” Dad says after a pause. I grab a fry, stalling for time. “Oh... what about finding a new job?” I ask, dipping my fry in mayo. “No luck. It’s a tough market out there. I’m struggling, pumpkin. Really struggling,” he says, his tone tinged with sadness. I know where this is going. "Do you think you can help me out a little bit?" There it is—the question I dreaded. I don’t mind helping my dad, but this is what he does. He disappears for long stretches, sometimes years, until he needs money. Mason used to give in when Dad showed up at our door, pleading. That has been years. Nothing has changed. "Come on, pum
No tears come. I just sit there, staring ahead, completely numb. The car's already unlocked, and I’ve been in it for what feels like an hour. Or maybe it’s only been two minutes when the door of the restaurant opens and I see Jace walking out. My heart does a little jump, slowly pulling me from the shock. He suddenly sits beside me. I blink, turning my head to him, confused at how he got here so fast. I hadn’t even noticed him get in. Jace is watching me, expecting something. "What?" I ask, my voice distant. He frowns. "I asked you twice already if you’re alright." I think about that question. It’s one I don't want to answer. "Can we go?" I say instead. "Of course." Jace starts the car without hesitation. As we pull away, I glance at the restaurant one last time. Everything looks the same as when we arrived. Strawberry milkshakes will never taste the same ever again. I start breathing normally as we drive out of the city, leaving my dad and everything else behind. “What did y
“Come in,” Jace says softly. “The backdoor is always open.” I gasp in mock shock and follow him to the door. “You never lock your backdoor? Don’t you know how unsafe that is? You never know who might creep in, in the middle of the night.” I smirk. “Well, consider my door open to creeps.” Jace responds with clear double meaning. My stomach does a little jump, and I quickly divert my attention to the house instead. Jace opens the door and gestures for me to step inside first. I kick off my shoes and step into the spacious, wooden interior. The place is much larger than I expected. To my left, a grand staircase twinkles with tiny lights, and the ceiling stretches up to the rafters, with skylights framing the stars that are beginning to dot the sky. I wander deeper into the house, passing an open kitchen before entering the living room. The far wall is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving a stunning view of the large porch outside, complete with a barbecue, lounge set, and jac
"Pfft. I was just... thinking," Jace says, opening the wine bottle and pouring a glass for me before I can even respond. "Drink," he orders, filling it generously. "Yes, sir," I reply with exaggerated innocence. He clears his throat and swiftly turns back to the stove. He places a plate full of ravioli in front of me. "This looks delicious," I say, genuinely impressed. "But it’s a lot. I’m not sure I can—" "Eat. All of it," Jace interrupts, his tone leaving no room for argument. I raise an eyebrow at him, meeting his strict teacher's gaze. "I don’t know if I can take all of it," I say sweetly, trying to match his seriousness. His strict face falls for a seconds, but then darkens with an edge. "I’m sure you can. Try." He sits across from me, placing a fork in my hand. "So," Jace says after taking a sip of wine, his eyes fixed on me, "talk." "About?" I ask, taking a bite of the ravioli and nodding in appreciation. It’s incredible. Jace looks down at my plate of food, and then bac
“Try again. Slowly,” Jace instructs, bringing the joint back to my lips. This time, I inhale gently, feeling the smoke trail down into my lungs before exhaling a thick haze. “Yes, good. Again,” he murmurs, guiding the joint to my lips once more. I take another puff, and then Jace takes a hit himself. After one more inhale, he presses the joint into the ashtray on the table, extinguishing it. “That’s it?” I ask, a bit puzzled. Jace smirks as he dumps the remainder of the joint with the ash. “That’s enough for now. We’ll have more after dessert.” He gives me a knowing look. I’m not quite sure what he’s hinting at, but I do know that my brain feels foggy immediately. The weed is definitely working. Dessert seems like a fantasy right now. “Dessert?” I ask, intrigued but distracted by the haze settling over me. "I have to pee," I suddenly blurt outas I jump up from the lounge with a burst of excitement. I hurry upstairs, my steps dreamy and unsteady. Inside the bathroom, I sit down
I stare at him in disbelief as the class filters out. Hannah nudges me from behind, snorting loudly before the door clicks shut behind her. Silence settles between us. I remain standing in the middle of the room, gripping my bag tightly. He’s still seated at his desk, his gaze raking over me, but for once, his expression gives nothing away. “Come here,” he orders finally, his voice low, commanding. The one that demands obedience. I hesitate for two seconds before slowly walking toward him. My bag slides from my shoulder, landing on the desk beside his with a dull thud. His eyes scan me with deliberate slowness, like a predator devouring prey, before he rolls back in his chair. “Bend over my desk.” My stomach clenches. I glance at the door. Someone might— “Now.” I listen. Turning away from him, I lean forward, my palms pressing into the cold, hard wood of his desk. My short skirt barely covers my ass, which he now has full sight iff.. My grip tightens on the desk’s edge as my
“I don’t know yet, Sir,” I answer instead. His eyes narrow, clearly displeased with my response. “Come up here,” he orders. I plead mentally. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to stand in front of the class with everyone’s eyes on me. I want to stay in my seat, in my safe space. My eyes go wide, silently begging for mercy. “Did your ears stop working?” Jace asks, completely unfazed. I let out a deep sigh, forcing myself to stand. My jaw clenches as I make my way to the old-fashioned board, picking up a tiny piece of chalk. From the corner of my eye, I already see Jace moving closer. He stops beside me, too close, and reads out the long, mind-numbing problem. By the time he reaches the last word, I’ve already forgotten the second to last. He doesn’t repeat himself. He just watches me, waiting. The tension is suffocating, horrible. I'm about to choke. He knows exactly what he’s doing. “Remembered that?” he taunts, his voice low. Slowly, I turn to face him. His dark eyes gl
”Shut the fuck up.” I almost roll my eyes. Jace stands at the front of the room, looking grumpy and too hot for his own good. He tosses his laptop, phone, and keys onto his desk like they don’t mean a thing. They land on the battered math book. Battered because of me. I accidentally spilled my caramel coffee over it this morning—right after our fight about my internship. Which was great timing. It made us late and pissed Jace off even more than he already was. ”Why do you always swear at us?” Brent asks, his voice too loud. I barely hold in a snort. Not that it matters. I don’t make a sound, but Jace knows exactly what’s going on in my head. He doesn’t look at me, though. He doesn’t have to. He’s going to break first. My internship is still a sore point in our relationship. That got worse when I found out that Jace cancelled my internship at Blackwood. It got even worse when I cancelled my internship at his company. I called Blackwood, and they told me they still have a spot f
“And you're sure the threat is dealt with?” Mason asks, doubt lacing his voice. “Believe me, it's done,” Jace replies from beside me. “Mitch's body was found in his house after it burned down. His parents are the main suspects, and they conveniently disappeared. Case closed.” “I can't believe they tried to kill Nora,” Ryker murmurs, eyebrows raised. I glance at him. He's sitting next to Hannah, holding a glass of gin, sprawled out on his plush pink towel. He doesn’t look entirely out of place, but I can tell he’s a little freaked out by the presence of two teachers. The cave is empty. It's just us here, which is surprising given that summer break has just begun. The sun is dipping lower, casting a golden glow over the water. We arrived not long ago, carrying towels and still-warm food. “Well, we did sort of kill their son,” Esme points out helpfully. “After he tried to kill Li. Again,” Mason says, shaking his head in disbelief. “What can I say? I’m not easy to kill,” I joke, fei
His wife screams. It's deafening, piercing through the room even as my ears ring from the gunshots. The sound is too much, making everyone flinch. Jace doesn’t hesitate. He snatches the fallen gun from the floor, his movements swift and precise, and aims it at the woman. There’s no remorse on his face—only cold calculation. His only thought: protect the ones he loves. BAM The second shot shatters the air. I flinch involuntarily, but I can’t look away. He shoots her through the heart. Blood erupts from her chest, staining her blouse in an instant. Her body jerks against the wall, wide eyes filled with disbelief. The tears that had welled in her gaze remain frozen there as she collapses, lifeless. In one fluid motion, Jace disables the gun, removes the magazine, and tosses the pieces onto the floor. “Fuck,” Mason mutters, taking in the scene. Jace remains unfazed. He takes two steps toward me, his expression still void of warmth. With one arm, he hauls me upright, his sharp e
He laughs here, his eyes so friendly. Just a normal guy. A kind person—someone who seems nothing but sweet. Looks can be so deceiving. I stare at the missing poster of Mitch for too long. I know I do. I can feel two pairs of eyes burning into me. I don’t know what to say. They practically dragged me into a small office at the back of the building. No windows, only one door. There’s no way out of here for me. No one knows where I am. “You were his girlfriend.” I look at his mother. Her voice is soft and timid, yet there’s an accusing edge to it. “It wasn’t that serious yet,” I say, keeping my voice level and calm. “He said you were official. For quite a while,” she responds, her tone pointed. “We were only dating for a few days, I—” “A few days? Don’t lie. You were with our son for almost a year until he disappeared,” his father cuts in, his voice sharp. I turn my gaze to him. A stocky man with a square face and thick brows. He looks nothing like Mitch. Neither of them has t
I wake up to the warm pressure of a head between my legs. A slow, deliberate tongue glides over my clit, teasing, stroking, sending lazy waves of pleasure through my still-drowsy body. Jace’s hands grip my hips, holding me in place as he lounges against the bed like he has all the time in the world. “Jace,” I murmur, my voice husky with sleep, my mind still catching up to what I’m feeling. “Good morning, baby,” he replies, his words muffled against my skin. “You couldn’t stop yourself?” I ask, my breath hitching as his fingers slide up the inside of my thigh. “Just making sure we start our last day of the school year in the best way possible,” he says smoothly, slipping a finger inside me. A sharp gasp escapes my lips. My back arches as a rush of heat blooms deep in my core. And then, his lips wrap around my clit, sucking with just the right amount of pressure, pushing me straight into oblivion. It takes him less than two minutes to make me fall apart. Exactly twenty seconds in
Mason screams something back, his voice shocked and angry, and I grin under my blanket. My door creaks open, and the bed dips under a heavy weight sinking into the mattress beside me. “Jace?” I mumble into the darkness. “No,” he replies instantly, his voice playful. “I’m a dream.” “What are you doing here?” I ask, my body too relaxed to move. His hands glide over me with a gentleness that sends a shiver down my spine. I’m too comfortable to push him away. “Just fulfilling my teacherly duties,” Jace murmurs, pulling me closer. “Gotta make sure my favorite student is alright.” I suppress a smirk and let out an exaggerated huff. “You’re unbelievable.” “Believe me, baby,” he sighs, his hand tracing my back in slow, deliberate strokes. His lips brush against the curve of my neck, and my body sinks deeper into the mattress. As his hand presses into my skin with firm precision, my thoughts scatter under the expert touch. “You can’t ask a man to stay away from his woman, Norali,” he
A flash of Mitch’s face fills my mind—the machete swinging toward my head, the deafening crack of a gunshot ringing out. “No,” I mumble, the word barely audible. Jace sighs heavily and runs a hand through his damp hair, his frustration palpable. “Next time, it could be a burglar. Who knows what could happen?” TThere’s fear in his voice, and I know it’s even more potent now after he visited his parents’ grave. They were shot in their own home, after all. The weight of that memory lingers between us. I set my half-empty plate on the coffee table and take Jace’s empty one from his hands, placing it beside mine. Wrapping the blanket around us, I cuddle against him. He pulls me close instinctively, releasing a soft sigh as he feels the warmth of my body. “You can go home tomorrow,” Jace concedes at last, his voice low. “But only if Mason is there. Just for safety.” I nod against his chest, accepting the compromise for now. “As for my internship—” “I can’t let you go somewhere else,