Page 39 of Zac

I smile, staring at the screen, feeling a sense of sadness. I never expected to love him the way I do, but damn if he hasn’t dug his way in deep. His mother too, a stubborn, irritating woman no less but one I can’t seem to let go of.

Jace: Aurora was on the phone with Presley for more than an hour earlier.

Jace: And again on her break.

I wait because I know he isn’t done.

Jace: Seems you’ve pissed her off. Presley not Aurora.

Me: She pissed me off.

Jace: You asked the girl to marry you.

Me: I was there.

Jace: What would you have done if she said yes?

Me: I would have married her.

I can imagine him chuckling.

Jace: Are you insane?

Me: This coming from the guy who proposed in my bathroom while nailing his girlfriend.

Jace: It was not while I was, it was after.

Such a smartass.

Me: Give the kid a hug for me.

Jace: What are you going to do about Pres?

Me: Nothing, it’s up to her now.

I was tired of fighting her. It’s like hitting my head against an unmovable brick wall day after day.

Jace: Mistake.

His one-word response surprises me until he follows it up with another.

Jace: If I’ve learned anything it’s that wasted time can never be recovered. If you want something, go after it, and don’t give up until you’ve got it.

Hmm, when did Jace become logical?

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Presley

My feet are killing me, my back too. Truthfully my entire body aches and I could really use a glass of wine, or a bottle. A bottle sounds nice, and a long hot soothing bubble bath.

Climbing the steps I turn the corner and find Grant sitting on the floor, leaning his back against my door. My heart feels like it sinks.

“Late night shift?" he says, looking up at me. Showing no signs of moving, he stretches out his legs, offering me an arrogant smirk like he knows me so well. I hate it. I don’t fear him, I despise him. He’s heartless, and though he is cruel with his hands he can be just as cruel with his words. “You were always taking the late shift, it’s part of the reason I had to find other sources of entertainment.”

“What do you want, Grant?” I’m tired and ready to crawl into bed and close my eyes. It’s been a long day and the words and the way things ended with Zac have been playing heavily on my mind. My heart has been aching to the point of barely being able to breathe through it.

“You already know the answer to the question, babe.” My skin feels like it literally crawls when he calls me babe. He only ever did that when he was in his most hateful of moods. “Our conversation from the other night, I think we should finish that.”