Page 25 of Jace

The scrap of lace under my nose, I breathed deeply, filling my lungs, even as my fingers gripped and jacked my cock wetly. I tipped straight over the edge, coming in great jets all over the tiled floor and the bathroom cabinet, too far gone to give a fuck.

I growled, then my growl turned into a roar. The raised ridge where my knot would swell ached like a bastard. It needed her cunt squeezing me to completion. Mark, breed, claim, my beast said ominously, a threat as much as a promise.

This was the last time we did this, spilling our seed alone in the bathroom. It was for her now, all of it, all that we were.

I breathed deeply, letting my hand lower from my nose. I felt empty, but not in a good way, and my cock hadn’t softened much. I shuddered. I’d made a nice mess, but a part of me hated it, that it was on the floor and the cabinet, wasted, when it belonged to Sloane and should’ve been inside her. I didn’t care about where—her pussy, her arse, or deep down her throat maybe. She would be greedy for it. I wanted it in every way. I wanted her spread out so I could eat her up. I wanted her to beg.

She’d begged so sweetly yesterday.

Was it only yesterday she’d crashed into my life?

I hadn’t bitten her, she wasn’t yet marked, but there are already connections being made between us.

Maybe it was all in my head? Maybe I wanted this to mean something. Maybe I should have fucked an omega once in my damn life so I wouldn’t be fucking unhinged.

Instinctively, I knew she would be hurting like I was hurting, and the thought of her being alone and… Or some other bastard tending to her. No.

I sucked in air, my hands planted against the side of the basin, leaning over it, gripping until my fingers ached and my knuckles turned white. My damn cock was still bobbing hopefully, and it stirred a rough chuckle that died as swiftly as it arrived.

She wasn’t here. I didn’t know where the fuck she was.

I took my shower fast and efficiently, cell phone sitting on the side ready, in case there was a call. No one called or messaged. I threw on some sweatpants and a clean T-shirt, then returned to my bedroom. Here, I resumed my pacing.

If I had to rip the city apart to find her, that was what I was gonna do.

Chapter Eight

Sloane

I woke up groggy and thirsty, although I’d drank the whole two-litre bottle of water that Emma had left for me. It was dark outside, the kind of dark that told me it was the middle of the night. I felt like I’d been hit by a train repeatedly, like I’d been torn inside out and then somebody had given me a beating for good measure. Plus, I was hot, sticky, and a little bit crusted in places, and I had a bad feeling that it was my slick. Jesus, I was a mess.

I could hear the mumble of voices beyond the door as I pushed the covers back, relieved, despite the pain, that I didn’t feel any of the burning need. It was there, simmering under the surface, but at least it wasn’t incapacitating me.

Hands trembling, I gathered my dressing gown from the chair and slipped it over my shoulders before pulling the belt tight. My eyes went unerringly to the bed—nest, I amended—a great jumble of clothing piled deeply, then on to the decimated closet, where I’d tossed my rejected clothes to the floor.

The ground felt like it was shifting underneath me as I came to terms with what I had done, how I’d behaved, making me question who I was, because a stranger had invaded my body and taken it for a wild ride. Only it wasn’t a stranger and these urges were now part of me, had always been part of me, lying latent and unrealised, until I’d met Jace.

The sound of a cell ringing on the other side of the closed bedroom door drew my attention, and I padded over, ears straining, but I didn’t want to open it. What if it was him?

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” I heard Jude say. “I don’t know why you’re playing hard to get. We both know you want him.”

“It’s not that,” Emma replied. “I just?—”

“What?” Jude demanded. “Girlfriend, he’s been wearing out that ringtone all day long. Why don’t you put it on mute?”

Suddenly, the ringing stopped. I thought at first that she’d answered it, but then it went quiet.

“I’m going to head off,” Jude said. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” Emma said. “I’ll go and check on her in a minute.”

“Good,” Jude replied. “Maybe take some more water.”

“I will,” Emma said. “I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”

A loud bang told me the front door had closed behind Jude. Knowing I needed to face this, I pushed my bedroom door open. Em’s eyes met mine from where she sat cross-legged on the couch, studiously ignoring the cell phone, which was buzzing incessantly on the coffee table.

She reached down and hit the button to turn it off.