Page 23 of Jace

“You are all insane.” This time I am the one who raises my voice. “Zac and I have never been romantically involved. We do not feel that way about one another.” I feel nauseous as I remember back to when Jace hit Zac. “Zac is the female version of Bree for me.”

What on earth is wrong with these fools?

“All the things I’ve done with Zac are the same things I do with all of you. Does that mean I’m dating the three of you too?”

None of them answer me, so I continue.

“So if you and Zac had sex, if the two of you decided to bang each other’s brains out on the top of the Empire State Building on a live feed, I would not care.” I pick up my tea and down half the glass, then place it on the table far too hard.

“Are you sure,” Bree asks looking around and I realize I’ve gained a few annoyed looks with my reaction.

“I’m in love with Jace,” I confess, knowing they already know this but it’s the first time I’ve said it aloud. “I have been for a long time, hell probably from the beginning when he annoyed me to the point where I wanted to rip out his tongue and stomp on it. It’s always been him, and it pisses me off that I ever gave doubt to that. Zac understands that, but me being friends with him, that created doubt, didn’t it?”

“No,” Luna reaches out and places her hand over mine. “We have all known from the start you’ve cared for Jace, but I think we all thought maybe during the time you and Zac got close something may have happened and maybe the lines were blurred a little.”

“Those lines have always been very clear. Nothing has ever and will never happen with Zac. I love him like I love the rest of you, I am not attracted to him.”

I’m the reason for the conflict between Jace and Zac. I’ve known this, but I think it took this moment for the reality of that to truly hit me.

Chapter Sixteen

Jace

Leaning over my table, I get lost in the sounds of the music playing through my earbuds. The soothing beat of the sound, the words, it’s how I enjoy spending my late afternoons and into the evenings. Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I find myself sitting in a dark room with only one single light, etching the new vision in my head.

It’s the one way to tame the racing thoughts in my head. Memories of my life, growing up and where I am now. Everything all mingles together, the darkness threatening to overshadow the light.

But tonight, the blackness doesn’t seem so dark because there are mixtures of red and the sweetest smile that are keeping me from falling over into the place I always go.

The place that has me doing and saying things I later regret.

Completely oblivious to anything around me I’m surprised when someone slides their palm over my shoulder.

Looking up I’m met with a gorgeous set of eyes watching me.

Reaching up I start to pull an earbud out of my ear when she stops me, taking it in her hand instead. “What are you listening to?” She doesn’t wait for my response before placing it in her ear. The smile that takes over her lips warms my chest. “Nice,” she adds slowly moving around in front of me.

What she does next surprises the hell out of me.

Lifting her leg, she straddles my lap and sits, putting one hand on each of my shoulders.

When she carefully allows her palms to glide over my collarbone, then my shoulders and upper arms, I close my eyes for a moment, taking in the feeling of her touch.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, and I open my eyes once more to find her watching me. “I know we weren’t together and had I chosen to spend time with anyone else I wouldn’t being saying sorry. But I took your best friend and for that I’m sorry.”

I swallow, the lump in my throat making it hard to respond with words.

“I took something from you and that was never my intention.”

“You don’t need to say sorry,” I tell her dragging my thumb over her jaw. “I know you two were, are just friends.”

“We are, but you didn’t know that then.”

“I do now,” I tell her, and she slides in a little closer. Having her this close, like this, it’s impossible for my body not to react. I can see the very moment she picks up on that too.

Leaning in closer, she presses her lips to mine and I allow her to lead the way. The coolness of her tongue, gliding over my lips, the way she grinds against me. My head grows foggy.

“Back then, it wasn’t our time,” she confesses and I open my eyes, staring up at her.

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