Page 42 of Jace

"What about the other ten?" Jace asks, still holding me close.

"My mood wouldn't allow me to go easy on him."

Jace lifted a brow and I was finding it too entertaining to look away from him. His expression told a story of their own.

"Do not test the waters and get me to that point. I need this job boy."

"Noted," he offers her a nod and as she exits the room he turns his attention to me. HIs eyes wide but still grinning. "I think I'm growing on her."

"She just told you she wanted to drug you and push you outside where the helicopters land."

"Yeah." He nods like that is a good thing. "Like I said, she likes me."

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jace

I lie awake most nights watching her sleep. It's still so surrealhow close we all came to losing her.

It's been more than three weeks since she was released from the hospitaland after several calls and some money pushed their way from Craig, the wedding venue moved out the wedding. The girlswere recovering both physically and mentally. Bree refuses to drive, and Aurora works mainly from home. My home, where I've kept her from the day she was released.

She fought me on it, and I won. She threw me attitude, and I smiled which only pissed her off more.

But all that I could live with, because she was exactly where I needed her to be. Here, with me, where I could take care of her.

Where I could do exactly what I was doing now, ensuring she was safe.

Aurora stretched, her casted wrist going up above her head. A slight irritated look takes over her features. Her nose scrunched, her lips pursed, just before she relaxes once more.

It sits heavy in my heart that she has yet to tell me she loves me. I've said it multiple times, and when I do, she gets a teary look in her eyes. I know I've hurt her, I know I've made her question my intentions in the past. I know she is guarded; hell her parents are the most unloving people I have ever met.

But I'll tell her I love her everyday if that’s what it takes.

Reaching out, I push away the hair from her face and her head turns toward me. I pause, waiting for her eyes to open but she remains in a deep sleep.

My phone vibrates on the nightstand and I grab it quickly before it wakes her.

Zac: You coming in today?

It's after ten, and I know I should go in. I have appointments today, the same appointments I've alreadypushed out once.

Glancing back over my shoulder to Aurora once more, I consider telling him I need one more day with her. But instead I send back a yes, toss my phone to the bed beside me and roll back over, scooting in close to her.

She makes these sweet noises when she sleeps, a sigh or a random poof of air, like she's held her breath and needs to release it. Every time it makes me smile.

I never thought I'd be the kind of guy to have the same woman in my bed night after night. But I've grown reliant on it, I need her.

"I love it," Kimberly twisted from side to side holding the hand held mirror doing her best to get a full view of her back. "The detail," she is in awe as her smile stretches wide. "It's incredible." She turns still holding her shirt to her chest with a look of amazement on her face.

Since I tattooed her back, she was forced to go braless and cover herself with a shirt she wore in.

Normally the idea of a half-naked woman in my chair would trigger a round of dirty thoughts, not to mention comments to spill from my mouth. But the vision does nothing for me. In truth, I can't even look at her without feeling guilty.

"You are an artist," she adds, still smiling at me.

"It's been close to a year." We've been workingon her back, from her waist to her shoulders. The top wrapping slightly over her shoulders. A mixture, a collage of sorts, filled with things good and bad throughout her life. Everything tells a story.

"A good year," she adds, looking over me as I still sit in my chair. She's always been a flirt, sometimes outdoing my own perverted comments.

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