Page 16 of Jace

I blush, but his words light something in me, bold and reckless.

“Show me,” I say, surprising myself, my voice low and daring. “Show me what you want.”

Jace’s grin is pure wolf-like sin, and he backs me against the couch, his body caging mine.

“Careful what you ask for, boy,” he says, his hand sliding under my sweater, his fingers grazing the bare skin of my waist. “I’mnot a gentle man. I’m the kind of Daddy who lives up to the Dom side of the deal too…”

“Yes… Daddy,” I whisper, and it’s like I’ve unleahed something.

Jace’s kiss turns hungry, demanding, his tongue teasing mine as his hand roams higher, brushing the curve of my ribs.

I arch into him, my hands clutching his shoulders, and he groans, a low, primal sound that makes me clench my ass and thrust my crotch upward.

He’s guiding me, his touch firm, his voice a soft growl as he murmurs,“Good boy, just like that.”

I’m lost in him, in the way he makes me feel—wanted, powerful, alive.

But then Jace shifts, his hand sliding to my thigh, and he pauses, his breath ragged.

“Tell me to stop, Caleb,” Jace says, his voice strained, like he’s fighting himself. “If you’re not ready, tell me now. That’s cool, but I need to know right now.”

I shake my head, my fingers tightening on his shirt. “I don’t want you to stop,” I say, and it’s the truth, even if it scares me. I want this—him, us, whatever this is. “I want you… Daddy.”

I can’t believe I’m calling Jace Daddy. I don’t know where it came from, but it feels so right. And right now, I’m letting myself do what feels right to me, no matter what anyone else might think.

He searches my eyes, then nods, his control snapping back into place.

“Then you’re mine,” Jace says, and kisses me again, slower this time, but no less intense. His hand stays on my thigh, teasing but not pushing further, and I feel it—the promise of more, the way he’s holding back, giving me space but still claiming me.

We’re tangled together, the room fading away, when a loud crash shatters the moment…

It’s outside, sharp and jarring, like glass breaking or metal hitting pavement. I freeze, my heart lurching, and Jace pulls back, his body tensing, his mindset all business.

“Stay here,” Jace says, his voice hard, as he moves to the window, peering through the blinds.

“What was it?” I ask, my voice trembling. My apartment’s on the ground floor, and the street outside is quiet,tooquiet.

“Dunno,” Jace says, but his jaw’s tight, his hand already reaching for the knife I didn’t notice tucked in his belt. “Could be nothing. Could be trouble.”

Trouble.

The word lands like a stone, and I think of the clubhouse, the whispers about the Iron Vipers, the way Jace’s phone keeps pulling him away.

“Is it… the club?” I ask, fear creeping in. “Are they watching us?”

He turns to me, his eyes softening despite the tension in his frame.

“If they are, they’ll regret it,” Jace says, fierce and protective. “I’m not letting anything touch you, Caleb. You’re safe with me.”

I want to believe him, but the crash echoes in my head, a reminder of how far I’ve stepped into his world.

Jace pulls me close, his arms strong around me, and I bury my face in his chest, breathing in his scent.

“I’m scared, Jace,” I admit, my voice muffled. “I want this, but I’m scared.”

“I know,” he says, his hand stroking my hair, his voice steady. “But I’ve got you. I promise.”

I nod, clinging to him, but the fear lingers, sharp and cold.

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