Page 17 of Jace

He notices me, rolling his eyes and looking less than pleased. I join him, leaning over on the small table he is resting his back against. “How long has this been going on?”

“Two fucking hours.” He grabs his beer and downs half the bottle. “Thirty minutes ago I was two seconds from taking out a couple douchebags that thought Aurora and Presley looked like easy targets. I can’t take much more of this shit, I can’t remember a time when I was ever this tense.”

I chuckle, but find myself scanning over the area around us, looking for any guys that were staring a little too long or moving in a little too close.

“Another hunky bad boy,” Presley coos, spinning in a circle, with her hands up in the air. “Will you dance with us?” She thrusts her thumb in Zac’s direction. “Mr. Broody refuses to join us.”

“I’m good,” I say, holding my beer and watching.

“I bet you are,” Presley says with a laugh before spinning away. I glance at Zac and his nostrils are flaring as he glares at Ror’s cousin. I wonder in that moment if there is anything between the two of them. Realizing right now isn’t probably the best time to dig into it I watch the girls instead.

There are so many similarities between the two, long dark hair, dark eyes. Aurora is a little taller, thinner while Presley is more petite. Presley’s hair is a lighter shade and the purple streak mixed in with the deep brown makes her stand out too, next to Aurora’s stark black.

One thing I truly love about Ror is her hair. Long, black as night, soft, and her alluring eyes when she’s not glaring at me because I’ve somehow pissed her off. Actually when she glares, I like it too, sets me on fire deep in my stomach and makes my pulse race.

I finish my beer, and Aurora has yet to pay me any attention.

“You ready to leave?” I ask Zac as I stand and place my empty bottle on the table.

“I was ready to leave five minutes after we got here,” he complains, his jaw tensing with irritation.

It’s all I need, as I move around the table, closing the distance between Aurora and I. Stepping up behind her, her body leans back against mine, allowing me to move with her. Resting my hands on her hips I bring my mouth closer to her ear. Taking a minute to breath her in before I speak.

“Can we talk?” Her body instantly stiffens, but I hold her tighter, refusing to allow her to escape.

“You said the most important thing was for me to fix things with Zac. Though I don’t think one thing is more important than the other, I took your advice and I patched things up with him.” Turning my head, I bury my nose in her hair, holding her firmly. The floral scent of her shampoo invades my senses and I fight the urge to spin her around and pull her body to mine. “Zac and I are good, now I need to fix us.”

“There is no us,” she responds quickly but her body sinks back into mine telling me something completely different. Her ass pressing against me she continues on, “Our chance has passed. It didn’t work out Jace; it wasn’t meant to be. We aren’t good for each other.”

Gliding my hands around her waist I link my fingers together and hold her securely, our bodies still swaying together. I take in her warmth, the way her hair tickles my nose. This is the moment when I could take what she’s said and let go. I could spare her the chance of this blowing up in our faces in the end. Or I could for once in my life face the truth, accept what I’m feeling and stop denying myself the possibility of something good.

“We could be great together,” I whisper near her ear. “If I stopped fighting it and you let me back in, we could be really good.”

She shivers, and I skim over the side of her neck with my lips, pressing a soft kiss just beneath her ear. She sighs, taking a shuddering breath.

“My heart can’t take this Jace,” I’m surprised by her confession. I know it’s the alcohol making her inhibitions weak. “I just stopped wanting you with every breath I take.”

“I want you to want me.” The idea of her not makes me feel like my insides are being squeezed so tightly I can barely breath. “I haven’t been fair to you Ror, I know this, but baby I never want you to stop wanting me. I want to be the only guy you’ll ever need.”

She is the one that turns around, looking up at me through her long dark lashes. Her chest rising with each breath she takes.

“I can’t play these games anymore Jace.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “I don’t have the strength to. I can’t do—” I cup her face in my hands and swallow her words as I take her mouth with my own. Instantly tasting the fruity drink she’d been drinking on her lips.

Dragging my tongue along the seam of her lips they part and I deepen the kiss. Trying my best to show her that I didn’t show up here to argue or to fight her. I wanted peace, for once I wanted nothing more than for her and me to just be, leaving behind all the garbage and heartache. “Come home with me,” I whisper before kissing her once more. Pulling back I rest my forehead to hers. I don’t expect this to be easy, but I may be silently praying for it anyway.

“Sex isn’t going to make this magically better.” I feel the wetness of her tears as they pool on her cheek where my hand still rests.

“I’m not asking for sex, Ror, I’m asking you to come home with me and allow me to hold you. I’m asking that when you sober up, you and I talk this through and figure out how we make it work. Because I’m tired of pretending that I know how to breath without you.”

“Jace…” My name falls from her lips in a pleading whisper that is almost lost in the sounds of the music still playing around us.

“Not now, we talk when we both have a clear head. But that doesn’t mean that I’m ready to let you out of my reach. You sleeping next to me, in my bed all night, seems like the best solution for that, so will you please not fight me on this, and let me take you back to my place?”

There is far too long of a pause before she finally nods her head, her shoulders falling in defeat and relief washes over me.

Linking my hand with hers we turn and find both Zac and Presley staring at us taking in our entire interaction.

“You two go.” He motions with his hand. “I’ll get this one home, safe.”

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